Q - I am starting to build a new house. Would you build a house today on a slab or over a crawlspace? -Ronnie in Tucker

A - Since you are asking me, I will tell you what I would do.

I would build over a crawlspace.

Crawlspaces give you a little more convenience when things go wrong.

If, for example, you have a leaky pipe in your hallway bathroom, it is by far easier to service that pipe with crawlspace access than it is to fix if you are on a slab.

Another reason I prefer the crawlspace is that often you can get your hvac system installed in the crawl (as opposed to your attic). Again, not only is it easier to service, but you will get better performance out of your system if it isn’t sweltering up in your hot, hot attic.

Also - your a/c unit will produce up to 5 gallons of condensation on a single hot day in the summer. That water gets pumped out of the system, but if that system is in your attic you are introducing water into your attic, which in my book is never a good idea.

A leak is just a clogged pipe away, and I don’t need to tell you how nasty water running freely in your attic can ruin your picnic.

I know you hear a lot of bad things about the moisture level a crawl space can generate, but you can take steps to overcome that, and for me, that just makes the crawlspace a little handier and a better option.

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