Unexplained holes or damage inside the house
Unexplained holes or damage can appear suddenly in hidden areas like closets or crawlspaces, leaving homeowners unsure whether to seal them up or investigate further. This uncertainty triggers immediate panic about structural integrity or hidden pests, preventing people from feeling safe or knowing the correct next step to take.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1filling the hole with water using a hose to check for voids
- 2sealing the hole, packing the dirt, and regrading away from the house
- 3Guessing the cause from online forum responses
- 4Checking for active dust near holes
- 5inspecting for dust or evidence of termites
- 6considering whether previous occupants hung frames or items on the walls
- 7taping the holes back up with foil duct tape
- 8calling a plumber or handyman to inspect
- 9posting pictures online to ask communities for advice
- 10waiting to see if the issue worsens over time
- 11Having an HVAC technician look at the ductwork to insulate or repair as needed
- 12Spraying the underside for mold remediation
- 13Negotiating seller concessions based on the inspection findings
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“We'd kept this closet closed all winter, and opened it to find this.”source ↗
“What the heck am I looking at here?”source ↗
“Noticed that this beam under where our toilet is, is white with some greenish flakey stuff on it? Is this mold? Also don’t even know where to get started taking care of it if it is mold….”source ↗
“Hole I found while digging through the rock beds. Some very loose/soft dirt there too.”source ↗
“Seal off the hole and forget it exists? Or keep panicking?”source ↗
“What are these holes for throughout my dryer vent duct?”source ↗
“Had an inspection and they are saying this is damage and I need to replace the whole vent line which has never been an issue in the past 8 years I’ve had my home and every year I get a cleaning and inspection done.”source ↗
“Saw this in my cupboard, also on some other wood around the house. Canada btw”source ↗
“I'm worried the couch has likely been there a long time, so it could be worse than what it's presenting.”source ↗
“That's my worry...clearly they've had their couch there for a long time. I am concerned the fix would be more than just drying out the area of subflooring that is currently wet. Trying to decide what's worth negotiating on some seller concessions.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5What to do if your rental house has severe structural damage
- 18How to find hidden home defects after buying
- 7How to identify tiny unknown bugs found inside the house
- 2Found damage on a used car after buying it from a dealership
- 12How to figure out weird quirks in a new house
- 2How to tell if home repair work is actually bad