We Treat Your Home Like Our Own
Unlike homes with basements or crawl spaces, a slab floor is solid concrete with no structural wood flooring system. For homes with this type of floor, soft soil or bad compaction is almost always the culprit. Once the soil is compromised, the slab will shift, and this creates the sagging or sinking effect. Pressure from that shift will sometimes crack the slab itself, causing high and low places in the flooring. To fix this type of damage, you need concrete slab repairs.
Water is a probable suspect, as it seeps into the ground around your foundation. The sill plate, wood beams, and floor joists are all vulnerable to this; these wooden components on top of your foundation are the wood framing system that supports your floor. Because it has direct contact with the concrete and can be over the exposed soil line, it often falls victim to water intrusion. Once water intrudes and saturates the wood, this leads to deterioration. It’s this deterioration that causes the floor system to fail.
But you don’t have to have standing water under your house to cause structural decay. High humidity can also damage the beams and joists that hold up your subfloor. Wood is highly porous and readily absorbs water from the air. Over time, this water saturation softens and rots the boards. As they decay, they compress under the weight of your home, lowering your floor sometimes by several inches.
Lack of building codes- or outdated ones- are another concern. A main support beam, the post that spans the length of your home, should be sized proportionately and supported every few feet. In many homes, the beams may not be the correct size or the support posts are installed too far apart. This over-spanning puts greater stress on the beam and makes it more likely to sag and potentially even fail.
Along the same lines, if your home is more than 50 years old, it’s also possible that inadequate materials are to blame. When a home is built, sometimes the beams or joists are not the correct dimensions. When this happens, a contractor will install a shim; a shim is a thin piece that adds a minimal lift to ‘even out’ the installation. Many times in construction, that shim was usually another piece of wood; at Acculevel we use steel shims to prevent compression or rot. These shims also allow us to increase the overall surface of the bearing load, so that the beam it’s supporting is not crushed by the weight of your home.
Technology is another age-related factor. New solutions and materials are always in development, but they take time to become commonplace. Before the 1970s, pretreated or pressure-treated lumber was not widely available or regularly used by builders. Lumber installed in its original ‘raw’ form is more vulnerable to insects and water damage.
New trends in home design can have a negative effect if a remodel doesn’t take the weight of the raw materials into account. Many older homes aren’t built to carry the load of solid granite countertops or stone-tiled floors and walls. Recreational items like a pool table or hot tub will also add significant weight to your floor system. These are all items that can put additional stress onto an already failing wood structure.
Contact Acculevel! We provide free estimates on sagging floor repairs.
We tackled a water intrusion issue in a Wabash basement around zip code 46992. The cinder block walls were leaking at the seam where they meet the floor, causing potential water damage. Our team worked with homeowner Roland, who has a 3rd shift schedule, to waterproof the area effectively. This critical repair aims to keep the basement dry and secure for approximately $30,000.
Near Wabash, IN
After a recent home purchase, an inspection revealed mold in the crawl space. Our team evaluated the area to propose remediation solutions and future prevention methods. The space is spray foamed, with noticeable ventilation and support structures. Estimated service costs are approximately $8,350 for the complete assessment and follow-up actions.
Near Wabash, IN
Recently addressed a critical need for structural support in the crawlspace of a home in 46992. The dining area above required reinforcement, and we ensured stability by installing necessary supports. Previous attempts by another company left unresolved issues, including some concern about basement wall cracks. The job involved shoring up the foundation composed of blocks and stone, with an investment around $3,000.
Near Wabash, IN
We tackled water intrusion issues at Drexel's mom's house in zip code 46992. The project focused on installing an efficient drainage system to prevent water from entering the house during heavy rains. Our team strategically placed drainage pipes and sealed critical areas to protect the structure. Estimated at around $5,200, this service ensures long-term watertight protection.
Near Wabash, IN
Charles and Beverly's home in 46992 had unlevel floors with a slope towards the crawlspace. Our team addressed the structural issues to ensure a stable foundation. The overall cost for this job was approximately $3,400, reflecting the necessary reinforcement efforts.
Near Wabash, IN
Tackled a major foundation repair for Brett, addressing several critical issues in the crawlspace. We installed a drainage system and a sump pump to handle water accumulation. The foundation was sinking, resulting in unlevel floors, which we addressed by reinforcing floor joists and replacing the sill plate. Mold treatment and insulation replacement were also necessary to ensure the crawlspace is safe and structurally sound. The project approximately cost $17,794.
Near Wabash, IN
Visited Linnett's property in the 46992 area to address unlevel floors, a project previously deemed too costly. We've implemented minimal structural repairs to ensure the floors are stabilized. After revisiting old estimates and confirming the necessity, the project was completed for approximately $4,993.
Near Wabash, IN
