Crawl Space Problems: Why Your Floor Sags
April showers means lots of water in the ground and next to your home. All that water can also mean lots of problems for your crawl space. This is especially true because many home owners haven't looked at their crawl space in months, which means they have no idea what condition it's in – until their floors sag and slope!
Are the floors above your crawl space bouncy, soft, or unlevel? This can be caused by many different things, from rainwater to construction errors. Below are some common causes that lead to sloping/sagging floors above your crawl space.
Causes of Sagging Floors
1. Weakened Floor Joists
Crawl spaces are often unsealed from the earth, which means that moisture and humidity are a problem. And what happens to wood when it is exposed to moisture and humidity? It begins to rot, get moldy, and weaken. The floor joists and girders wear down to the point where they can no longer support the weight above and the floor above may become bouncy or soft and begin to sag.
2. Existing columns settle due to weak soil
Just like your foundation or floor slab, weak soil can damage your crawl space as well. When soil is settling it can cause the existing columns in the crawl space to sink or settle often creating a gap between the top of the column and the bottom of the girder it was supporting. Once the column settles, then the girder sags and the floor above starts to sag. It's a chain reaction.
3. Existing block or brick columns are spaced too far apart
When a crawl space is built out of brick, block, or even wood, columns are installed through the space to support the weight of structure above it. If these columns are installed too far apart from one another, the beam or girder can become overloaded and sag making the floor above sag along with it.
How to Fix Sagging Floors
There are a multitude of methods when it comes to fixing sloping or sagging floors. One of these methods is a steel jack post that is designed to stabilize the floor and ensure that your crawl space can support the weight of what's above it. The jack is connected to the girders and the jack is tightened until the floor is back in place. This not only restores property value but you don't have to worry about your floor collapsing right into your crawl space.
Are you ready to fix your floors for good? Call us today at 1-515-289-1606 and we will set you up with a free appointment to speak with one of our certified foundation specialists!