3 Common Causes of Crawl Space Problems

Even though you may not go down in your crawl space often, it is still an essential part of your home, so it’s important to take care of it. There are countless problems that can occur with crawl spaces, and the 3 most common causes of sagging beams and floor joists are improper spacing of columns in the crawl space, excess moisture & rot, and settlement of the existing columns.

When your crawl space was built, columns were spaced throughout the crawl space to evenly distribute the weight of the home. However, if those columns were spaced too far apart, then the beams become overloaded, causing the floor above to sag. This causes damages to the drywall and other upstairs finishes, as well as the floor on the first level of your home.

Excess moisture and rot is perhaps the most common crawl space problem. The earth beneath the crawl space is fairly consistent at about 55 degrees. The air temperature in the home is warmer than 55, so the air in the crawl space tends to be warmer as well. For every 1 degree the air in the crawl space is cooled, the relative humidity in the crawl space goes up by 2.2%. This leads to a lot of excess moisture, dampness, and condensation. The extra moisture and dark space creates the perfect condition for mold to grow and wood to rot. If this occurs, beams and joists may begin to weaken and sag over time. Sagging beams causes the floor to sag, resulting in drywalls cracks and other damages upstairs.

Finally, the settling of existing columns may occur due to unstable or poorly compacted soil beneath them. The soil beneath the home is made up of multiple soil types and layers that react differently to changing conditions, such as temperature and moisture. The soil may weaken and no longer be able to support the weight of the home. This results in the soil settling over time, causing the columns to settle as well. Settling columns means sagging floors, which means, you guess it—damages to upstairs rooms.

Fortress Foundation Solutions has products to solve each of these problems, including the SmartJack system and the SaniDry Sedona. The SmartJack system is the proven solution to stabilize the beams and floor joists in your crawl space. The SmartJack system has an easy one-day installation process and can support vertical loads exceeding 60,000 lbs. It gives you immediate results and provides stabilization for your home.

The SaniDry Sedona is the best crawl space dehumidifier there is. It is powerful, reliable, and cost-effective. The SaniDry Sedona is the best way to prevent mold growth in your crawl space, especially when installed with the CleanSpace Encapsulation System.

Keep your crawl space strong and stabilized by being aware of any problems and solving them before the damages get worse!

If you are looking for a crawlspace repair company in Clintwood and the surrounding areas, look no further than Fortress Foundation Solutions!

Call us today at 1-434-473-7012 or contact us online for a free estimate!