Crawl Space - What would you do?

[Larry Caldwell]

Your cheapest fix is just to add a couple more courses of concrete block to the foundation. It may be easier to just knock the old foundation out and start over. Too bad your jurisdiction didn't have building codes when the house was built.

Since you are rural, you have plenty of room for an addition if you want a bigger house. If you want a basement, dig and pour one next to the house, then slide the house sideways onto it. You may gain some utility space, but you will lose it again to the stairwell.

In any case, a nice big crawl space will make it nicer when you have to work on the plumbing. If you just want to get rid of the mice, try snakes.

 

[/pine]

Shoring up a house to build a basement under it or to just add a course of block is not going to be cheap regardless...

I'm guessing that there is a beam that sits on top of the existing course of block and the floor joists probablysit on top of the beam(s)...if there was room to install the original ducts they can be replaced...

To stop the mice...a judicious application of 1/8" hardware cloth panels (underpinning) they must fit tight...a mouse can get through a hole the size of a nickle...

 

[Marlowe]

I agree with MarkV, the best solution is to move the duct work to the attic. Many years ago lots of houses were built with the floor system just a few inches off the ground, but they didn't have central heat and AC systems with ducts to contend with in those days. My parents bought one of those houses and when they went to a central system the ducts were put under the house, with all of the associated problems. My dad and I moved it all to the attic and those problems were over. Jacking the house up a bit isn't as big a deal as it sounds but I wouldn't do that just to get better access under the house. A cellar is nice, but adding one after the house is built sounds like a big deal to me. Sort of like putting your under wear on after your pants.

 

[LRTX1]

I have to say the idea of moving all the Duct work to the attic seems to be the most economical.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I have put ductwork in a crawlspace similar to that, it sucks and a GI shovel is your best friend in such a place. If you replace teh duct with a metal pipe duct it will keep the critters out. Best advice I have for you is a trench shovel can be had rather inexpensively and when you measure between pieces of duct (like a pipe to a duct boot, or a duct boot to an elbow), add 3" and cut your pipe. 1 1/2" overlap on each end of the pipe.

 

[Sigarms]

If you replace teh duct with a metal pipe duct it will keep the critters out.

+1

But don't forget, you need to insulate the pipe as well.

Two thoughts on extreme small spaces for ductwork.

Ductless mini split or a high velocity system which usually uses 7" round main trunk with 2" ID supply hoses for outlets.