One of the most common issues when purchasing an older home is uneven floors. Whether you bought a home at a great price or you are fortunate to have a large budget, flooring repair is not cheap. And, because it is not cheap, you certainly do not want to pay a lot of money to “fix” bad floors if you are not willing to repair the issues causing the bad floors. “Fixing” (i.e. putting a pretty band-aid in terms of new flooring) without repairing the root cause of the damage will only throw your money into a never-ending account of constant floor issues.
Floors should be smooth for walking, even and level, so that people do not trip while they are in your home, so that your furniture sits level, and to protect the weight of your home.
Your home is supported by a system of columns that holds the entire weight of the house. Between the support columns, floor joists also add support to the floors. Older homes were typically built without a great deal of inspection, and too much space often spans between the columns. When too much space exists, the floor joists will not be able to do their job and will sag. Sagging floor joists will cause significant sagging in the floors. If you notice any gaps at the point where walls and floors meet, it is time to call in a professional foundation expert.
Settling occurs naturally in all homes, whether they were built 100 years ago or last year. The ground that surrounds your home also settles over time, and it is common for older homes to not be effectively supported by the ground plot around them. Foundation settling is often caused by the ground outside and around the home settling or moving away from the home. Any erosion around the exterior walls of your home should be evaluated by a professional foundation expert.
Moisture and dampness are a home’s enemy. Any time the foundation of a home, the wood of a home, the sheetrock of a home, or any part of a home’s structure is exposed to moisture problems it will eventually cause structural damage. Mold can cause significant health issues, moisture can cause rot, and as the structural components grow soft, they will decay and sag – causing your home to lose its integral support.
Uneven floors are a safety hazard to those who enter your home as well as to your home itself. Contact Anglin’s Foundation & Masonry Repairs today.
Posted on behalf of John Anglin, Anglin’s Foundation & Masonry Repairs
