Sagging Floors Are A Sign Of Crawl Space Structural Issues
Have you recently noticed your living room, kitchen, or dining room floors are sinking or sagging? If your first level floors display these symptoms, it is an early indication that your crawl space or foundation has structural problems. You don't have to start worrying about falling into your crawl space just yet, but this is just the beginning of your structural issues. The crawl space should be inspected and fixed as soon as possible.
Crawl Space Structural Sagging
Crawl spaces experience structural sinking or sagging primarily for these three reasons:
- Support columns are spaced too far apart
- Joists, girders, and posts have been weakened by rot
- Weak soil and poor footings cause columns to settle
Telltale Signs of Structural Issues
- Moist, rotting wood
- Skewed or unlevel door and window frames
- Sagging, sloping, or uneven upper-level floors
- Tilting or sinking crawl space supports
- Cracks in the interior drywall
Why Does This Happen?
You may be thinking "why my house, what did I do?" It's likely nothing you have done. Many homeowners are unaware of what is happening under their floors if nothing is causing them any distress. Crawl spaces deteriorate more quickly when humidity and moisture are locked inside. Weather like that of Virginia tends to cause crawl space issues.
When your crawl space does not have a dehumidifier and is not sealed the moisture seeps through your home's foundation which causes joists and posts to soften and rot. Even homes that have been moisture-proofed can still experience problems. Many homes are just built improperly, with widely-spaced support columns or poor footings that cause the sagging floors. If the builders didn't compact the soil or test it for supportive qualities, your problem is likely due to poor soil quality and the footings and columns are beginning to sink into the soft soil.
Another possibility is that your supports are brick or concrete and mortar. These are not the most precise structural supports. They are prone to crumbling apart and tilting due to moisture and age. Even if your floors have yet to begin sinking, you might think about replacing them sooner rather than later.
The Solution to Crawl Space Support Problems
To fix your support system, installing SmartJack is the best way to go. This heavy-duty system is created with galvanized steel which is resistant to corrosion, so it will last a lifetime. the system will redistribute your home's weight to level and stabilize.
Let Our Experts Fix Your Sagging Floors
If you’re looking for crawl space repair experts in Keswick and the surrounding areas, look no further than Fortress Foundation Solutions, the premier foundation repair, and waterproofing professionals!
Call us today at 1-800-638-7048 or contact us online for a free estimate!
