They used a mesh netting of sorts... but it really didn't work around plumbing, or posts, or really anywhere for that matter. The seller tried to send some goons down there with a roll of duct tape a couple times and it didn't work at all. Finally, they went down with some better mesh and an air compressor staple gun. It worked better but was still just a poor design. It's funny how the whole concept of gravity escapes people.

The funniest part of the entire story is that I ended up marrying the buyer of the house! No joke, I went back for so many re-inspections I got to know her pretty well... well enough to start dating and eventually get married.

I usually try to distance myself from these buyer vs seller pissing matches but this was just crazy... the seller was really being totally unreasonable and I felt sorry for the buyer. It's good to know standing by your guns can really benefit you sometimes Needless to say I always smile when I hear about crazy crawl space insulation.