Is Your Crawl Space a Fire Risk? Electrical Hazards Most Homeowners Miss

When homeowners think about house fires, they picture overloaded outlets or kitchen grease — not the crawl space.

But the truth is, dozens of fires every year in Arkansas begin right beneath the floor.

At PierPoint Foundation Solutions, we’ve seen it firsthand: exposed wires, hanging lights, and unsafe DIY “fixes” that put families in danger. In this blog, we’ll show you why your crawl space could be the most overlooked fire hazard in the home.

🔌 The 5 Biggest Electrical Risks Found in Crawl Spaces

1. Exposed or Uninsulated Wiring

   
   

   Many older homes still have open wires running through floor joists or insulation. Moisture and rodents can deteriorate the sheathing, exposing live lines to wood, vapor barriers, or metal pipes.

2. Improper Splices or Loose Connections

   
   

   We often find amateur repairs where two wires are twisted together and wrapped with electrical tape — no junction box, no support, no safety.

3. Extension Cords in Permanent Use

   
   

   A crawl space isn’t the place for long-term cords, power strips, or light strings. These are not rated for crawl space conditions and are a leading cause of electrical fires.

4. Rodent-Chewed Wiring

   
   

   Mice and rats love to gnaw on plastic wire jackets. Exposed copper + moisture = fire or shock hazard.

5. Flooding + Electricity = Disaster

   
   

   Standing water in your crawl space becomes exponentially more dangerous when it meets bare or damaged wiring. Even low-voltage systems can spark in high-moisture conditions.

⚠️ Warning Signs to Watch For

• Your lights flicker during storms or after heavy rain

• A faint burning or musty smell from vents

• Circuit breakers randomly trip

• You find chewed insulation or dead rodents near wiring

• The crawl space has never been professionally inspected

🛠️ What PierPoint Can Do

While we don’t perform electrical repairs, we specialize in identifying unsafe electrical setups in crawl spaces and partnering with licensed electricians when needed.

Our safety inspections include:

✔️ Full crawl space walkthrough with moisture and wiring hazard notes

✔️ Photos and documentation for electricians or home sellers

✔️ Replacement of damaged insulation or wood due to electrical exposure

✔️ Vapor barriers to isolate and protect circuits from ground moisture

✔️ Drainage and sump system install to reduce electrical risk

✔️ Real estate or pre-listing reports that identify crawl space safety problems

We help make sure your home is safe from the ground up.

📞 Don’t Wait for Sparks to Fly

If you’ve never had your crawl space inspected for fire hazards, now is the time. One visit could prevent disaster.

📍 Serving all of Arkansas

📅 To schedule your electrical hazard crawl space check, contact Dakota Treece:

📞 (501) 284-9330

📘 Message us on Facebook @PierPointFoundationSolutions

🔗 Book Your Crawl Space Fire Risk Inspection

Peace of mind starts with knowing what’s down below.