Causes of Sagging Floors Over a Crawl Space

The floors above your crawl space may become bouncy, soft, or unlevel.  This is a problem because it’s only a matter of time before the floor will no longer be able to support the weight that’s on it.  So what exactly caused this problem?

The existing block or brick columns are spaced too far apart.  When your crawl space was first built, block or brick columns were placed throughout to support the weight of the structure above.  However, if those columns are located too far apart, the beam can become overloaded and sag between the columns.  This, in turn, also causes the floor above it to sag.

The floor joists and girders become weak due to moisture and wood rot.  Oftentimes, crawl spaces are not sealed off from the earth, so excess moisture and humidity is a problem.  When your crawl space is exposed to moisture and humidity, the result is moldy, rotting, and weak floor joists.  They become unable to support the weight above, resulting in bouncy, soft, or sagging floors.

The existing columns settle because of weak soil.  Weak soil can cause the columns to sink or settle, creating a gap between the top of the column and bottom of the girder it was supporting.  If the column settles, then the girder sags, and the floors above sag.  It’s a simple chain reaction.

The SmartJack Crawl Space Stabilizer offered by Woods Basement Systems is the perfect product to solve this problem.