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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Lack of building codes- or outdated ones- are another concern.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.
Lindsey's basement has been experiencing water intrusion due to recent rains despite having a sump pump and mitigation system. Our team improved the existing setup by upgrading the waterproofing and improving drainage. This essential service, priced at approximately $15,900, ensures a dry and secure basement environment.
Near Kalamazoo, MI
To address the poor grading issue leading to water accumulation in Dennis's yard, our team installed a comprehensive waterproofing system. This involved placing drainage pipes to redirect water away from the vulnerable areas between his property and the neighbor's. Additionally, an interior drainage system was set up in the basement, ensuring no water intrusion affects the home's interior. This project, valued at approximately $7,800, provides peace of mind for Dennis in zip code 49048.
Near Kalamazoo, MI
We tackled an issue with uneven and bouncy floors in Jason's home, zip code 49001. Our team addressed the problem by sistering joists and reinforcing support beams, ensuring the structural integrity of the property. Cracked interior walls also indicated underlying foundation issues, which were efficiently rectified. This essential repair job was completed for approximately $3,000, bringing stability and safety back to the home.
Near Kalamazoo, MI
We tackled a challenging foundation issue in the 49001 area for Ruth by addressing bowing block walls. The team expertly handled the excavation and stabilizing process to ensure long-term structural integrity. This essential repair was completed for an approximate cost of $6,300.
Near Kalamazoo, MI
Our team visited Tamara's property in the 49004 area to address a crucial repair in the crawlspace. A beam needed sistering or replacement due to noted deficiencies. During this visit, we ensured the integrity of the structure, focusing on enhancing support and stability. The total cost of the job is around $2k, reflecting the careful work involved in maintaining a secure foundation.
Near Kalamazoo, MI
Addressed a crack in the concrete foundation wall of Brandon’s bi-level home in zip code 49009. The issue was discovered after a sump pump failure led to water intrusion, revealing the crack that extended through to the other side. Our team efficiently repaired the crack and reinforced the area to prevent future water issues, all for about $2,750.
Near Kalamazoo, MI
