The crawl space must have an entry opening that is a minimum of 16-inches high by 24-inches wide if it is at an exterior wall, according to the International Residential Code (IRC) and the Residential Edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC R408.4). An access opening from the floor above must be 18-inches by 24-inches.  

When the access is below grade, a 16-inch deep by 24-inch wide clear area (well) in front of the opening must be provided.

    If there is an access panel, it has to be removable without using any special tools or damaging it. The loose access panels shown at the top of the page would certainly meet the easy-removal standard, but they do not seal the opening against critters getting under the house and tearing up the floor insulation. Plus, the hose faucet reduces the clear opening width to less than 24-inches and the height is only 12-inches.

    The dimension from the dirt to the bottom of the floor joists needs to be a minimum of 18-inches, with at least of 12-inches under any beams. While it is possible for a compact person to crawl through a 12-inch space under a beam, it becomes difficult lift your head to view upwards or twist around readily in a shorter height than 18-inches in the open areas under the floor joists. 

    Also, if there is any mechanical equipment under the home, such as an air handler, then the opening must be big enough to remove it for replacement. And when part of the opening is below grade, the entry well must have a 16-inch by 24-inch footprint.

    Then again, once in while the access panel is just plain ridiculous—like the appoximately 12-inch square opening we were directed for for access under a home in Gainesville, with an active electrical disconnect box mounted on the door.

    To learn more, see our blog post What does a home inspector look for in the crawl space under a home?   

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To learn more about exterior walls and structures, see these other blog posts:

• What is the average lifespan of a house foundation?

• What causes vertical cracks in fiber cement siding planks?

• What causes raised white lines of residue on a block wall that are crusty and crumbling? 

• What is the difference between soil subsidence, heave, creep, and settlement? 

• How much ventilation is required for the under-floor crawl space of a home? 

• What causes stair-step cracks in a block or brick wall?

• What causes a horizontal crack in a block or brick wall? 

• How can I tell if a diagonal crack in drywall at the corner of a window or door indicates a structural problem?

• What causes the surface of old bricks to erode away into sandy powder? 

• What are the pros and cons of concrete block versus wood frame construction?

• Should I buy a house with a crawl space? 

• Why is my stucco crackig?

• There's cracks running along the home's concrete tie beam. What's wrong? 

• What would cause long horizontal lines of brick mortar to fall out?

• How do I recognize serious structural problems in a house?

• What is engineered wood siding?

• Should I buy a house that has had foundation repair? 

• What is a "continuous load path”?

• Should I buy a house with asbestos siding?   

• How can I tell if cracks in the garage floor are a problem or not? 

• What do you look for when inspecting vinyl siding?

• Why is housewrap installed on exterior walls under the siding? 

• How do I recognize serious structural problems in a house?

• Why did so many concrete block homes collapse in Mexico Beach during Hurricane Michael? 

• How can I tell if the concrete block walls of my house have vertical steel and concrete reinforcement?

• Should I buy a house with structural problems? 

• What are those powdery white areas on my brick walls?

• What causes cracks in the walls and floors of a house?

• How can I tell if the exterior walls of a house are concrete block (CBS) or wood or brick?

• What are the common problems of different types of house foundations? 

• What are the warning signs of a dangerous deck?

• How can I tell whether my house foundation problems are caused by a sinkhole or expansive clay soil?

        Visit our EXTERIOR WALLS AND STRUCTURE page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles. 

Illustration by Code Check.