Many homeowners in Norfolk, Virginia & surrounding areas have become concerned about sloping or uneven floors. It may start with visible cracks in the walls, when interior doors stick while opening or closing, or when there is a noticeable sag in the floors. These conditions are usually a sign of a more serious problem, such as wood rot in the floor joists, a sinking foundation, or crawl space structural problems.
A sagging floor can also occur when floor support beams or a load-bearing girder experiences water damage. If the homeowner does not address the issue, the home could experience more costly issues, including foundation cracks, drywall cracks, sloping floors, and damage to the home’s foundation.
Failing to address crawl space problems and foundation cracks may result in more cosmetic damage to interior finishes along with structural problems that can cause cracks in drywall and tile floors. If you are looking to fix sloping, uneven floors in your Hampton Roads, Virginia home, speak with an expert at BAY Crawl Space & Foundation Repair for effective solutions to this serious issue.
What Causes Uneven, Sagging Floors?
Our foundation repair experts that fix sloping, uneven floors have seen just about every possible sagging floor issue. These include foundation problems, crawlspace moisture, wood rot, and a lack of crawl space waterproofing.
Typically, a sagging floor is not a floor issue but can be caused by a lack of waterproofing or other problems. It may even start with the home’s landscaping and drainage systems. Excessive water collecting around the home’s foundation can seep under concrete slabs and even travel across vapor barriers.
Once the home’s structural elements experience wood rot and/or water damage, the interior floors and walls will suffer. The bottom line is that water leaking under the house can lead to structural issues like cracks in the floor joists, rotting floor girders, or the subfloor.
Another reason why your floor may be sloping is sinking or sagging floor supports. Once the floor supports begin to sink, the floors can become sloped and uneven.
In homes with a crawlspace, the outside walls are supported on a continuous footing along the perimeter of the home, and the inside walls are supported on footings and piers, which support beams, floor joists, and the subfloor. One or more of these building components can lead to uneven floors. If you have sinking and uneven floors, your floor support may be inadequate.
Here are some of the more common causes of crawl space and foundation issues that can lead to sagging, sloping, or uneven floors:
- Water damage
- Crawl space moisture
- Foundation problems
- Joists or beams could be rotten
- Poor landscape drainage
- Structure problems
- Mold or termite infestation
- Ground movement
- Damaged vapor barrier
- Damp joists or beams could be crushed under the weight of the home, aka compression
What Are the Risks of Sloping Floors?
There are risks associated with sloping or uneven floors in your house.
Trip and Fall Hazards
Serious injury can occur when a person trips due to their foot catching on a floor area that is at a higher level than expected. These types of trip and fall accidents can easily happen when a home has uneven floor levels caused by excess moisture attacking the subfloor.
Damage to Home’s Structure
Structural damage to a home’s foundation can cause the home to sink into the ground or cause crawl space moisture. The result is weakened support beams, foundation cracks, and damage to surrounding areas resulting in a sagging floor.
Damage to the Flooring Materials
Water entering through the home’s crawlspace or cracks caused by foundation problems will eventually make its way into the home subfloor and flooring material. The result can be floors that sag, feel soft under your feet, or buckling/cupping floors.
How Can Uneven Floors Be Fixed?
A sagging floor, crawl space moisture, and foundation problems are signs of a problem with the home’s structure. The best repair solutions can be found when you partner with a company that specializes in foundation repair services, the stabilization of floor support beams, and crawl space waterproofing.
The first thing any homeowner should do is inspect the home’s landscape drainage systems to see if water is ponding around the foundation. Next, the homeowner should check the home’s basement or crawl space for any damage to or a missing vapor barrier. This is the polyurethane sheeting around a crawlspace or basement to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls or floor.
Repair solutions to a home’s subfloor are typically determined by an inspection from a company like BAY Crawl Space & Foundation Repair. If the problem is rotted support beams, failed vapor barriers, or a lack of waterproofing, then BAY Crawl Space & Foundation Repair can offer various repair solutions, including:
Fix the Moisture Problem
Our foundation repair services are designed to locate and fix any moisture problems affecting the home’s structure. This may include advising the homeowner about changing the landscape contour or improving drainage systems.
If the home has a crawl space, our repair experts can inspect the walls and lower-level support beams for signs of moisture. If the crawl space has a lot of moisture, mildew, or mold, then any issue with the foundation must be located and repaired.
Add Drainage Systems
Improvements to the home’s drainage system might include the installation of a French drain around the home and/or a sump pump at the low points to prevent standing water around the foundation.
A professional would need to fix or replace floor drains and drain pipes that are clogged or cracked. A foundation drain system attracts and funnels away groundwater in the soil and excessive water due to melting snow or frequent and torrential rainfall.
Crawl Space Encapsulation
The reasons for crawl space moisture and dampness can range from living in a humid climate to an underground pipe that is leaking, or simply the saturated soil from groundwater keeping the crawlspace moist.
Crawl space encapsulation is a type of heavy-duty vapor barrier that covers the crawl space floors and walls; along with insulation of the walls, sealed foundation vents, and a crawl space dehumidifier. A crawl space repair that seals the area completely can reduce your heating and cooling bills. It can also remove musty smells and stop further water and structural damage while reducing mold growth and damage from pests.
Jacks to Add Structural Support
Often, water damage will leave a home with a weakened structural support system. Professional foundation repair services will offer home stabilization options such as foundation jacks and additional support beams.
Foundation jacks provide additional support when placed underneath floor support beams. They are used to not only stabilize your home’s crawl space but also to re-level and support sagging floor joists.
Each floor jack must be installed on top of a strong new foundation support footing. When installing foundation jacks, a new hole must be dug and the foundation footing installed with either concrete or steel, and engineered to support the necessary weight.
Structural Repair
A structural beam replacement can fix a sagging floor, especially when the wood has rotted or become too soft to provide good support. Other parts of the home that may require structural repair include the replacement of multiple support beams or floor joists for better floor stabilization.
Foundation Repair
After you diagnose and stop the source of water, you need to call residential foundation repair services to fix sloping, uneven floors. If the home’s support beams and foundation have weakened, foundation repair may include stabilizing the foundation using foundation push piers or an engineered underpinning solution.
Each foundation repair will depend on the type of foundation and the types of issues you have. If the foundation is not sunken, then the repair may only include fixing cracks in the foundation or replacing crumbled concrete are repaired or replaced.
Why Choose Bay Crawl Space and Foundation Repair?
BAY Crawl Space and Foundation Repair is your one-stop solution to fix sloping and uneven floors in Norfolk, Virginia, Newport News, Suffolk, and surrounding communities. Our expert teams boast over 300 collective years of experience in the Norfolk, Virginia service area.
Our staff includes engineering experts, foundation repair specialists, and a full administrative support team ready to deliver exceptional customer service and a fast turnaround of your home foundation project. This is why BAY Crawl Space can offer a full warranty on installation and materials for your floor repair.
You can fix sloping, uneven floors today by taking advantage of our free crawl space and foundation inspection. This will identify any structural issues, standing water, or issues with the vapor barrier. Our expert advisors will then consult with the homeowner on their options to repair sloping, sagging, or uneven floors.
Contact BAY Crawl Space & Foundation Repair today by filling out our online form. Our phone number, 757-460-0444, will also put you in contact with an experienced team member who can answer your questions and provide information on free quotes. We are conveniently located at 1179 Lance Rd in Norfolk, VA.
Not only are we an award-winning foundation repair contractor, but BAY has also been voted the best local foundation repair in Southeast Virginia.
