Dry rot of floor joists:
I never know what I will find in a home inspection. Crawl spaces in particular, usually offer up the most surprises. Since most people never see the area underneath their house, over time, many things can break, leak, grow and live. An annual inspection can go along way to prevent costly repairs down the road. Dry rot is one of the worst things that can be uncovered in a home inspection.
In this video, note the dry rot of the floor joist and beams. These components of a home support the main structure. Over many years, moisture from a wet crawl space is absorbed into the wood foundation, fungus grows and slowly eats the wood away. Watch how the floor joist structure crumbles in your hands. This home was only about 20 years old. Homes built on the side of a hill can be particularly prone to water intrusion. Water intrusion can also exasperate radon gas. The middle Tennessee area is wet and hilly. Crawl spaces should be regularly inspected for wet conditions. Dry rot should really be called wet rot!