1. Will the cover you are about to purchase fully enclose the area wall and access door? Purchasing a cover designed to fully enclose both the area wall and access panel door into your crawlspace will prevent water from standing in the area wall and rust occurring to the steel access panel due to changing weather elements.
2. Is the cover you are purchasing constructed using a water proof material? The purpose for your cover is to keep water out of the area wall and crawlspace.
3. Will the cover support any weight? The area wall on most homes sits at ground level, and someone including yourself could accidentally fall or step on the cover.
4. What is the weight of the cover? The cover needs to be made of a light weight material for easy removal when the crawlspace needs to be accessed. The cover should also lock or latch down to ensure it remains in place.
5. Temperatures and climates vary from state to state; will the cover withstand temperature changes? Replacing your cover because it continues to crack or break can become very costly.
Hardware home improvement stores do carry area wall covers. They will generally stock a few different sizes, and if you are lucky enough to find one that fits the width of your well it will typically not have the correct projection you need to fully enclose the entire opening. These covers will be made out of a thin plastic and will easily break. Typically these covers cost around $20.00 but can be higher and do not address the above considerations.
Purchasing a cover constructed using a polycarbonate material will address all things to consider when selecting a cover. Unfortunately home improvement stores cannot stock this type of cover, due to the many variations in homeowner’s crawlspace area walls. These covers need to be custom made, to specifically fit individual area walls and access doors.
A durable and properly fitting cover may cost a little more up front, but in the long run, will limit the frustration homeowners have of trying to find one that actually fits and the cost involved in continued replacement of the plastic covers.
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