Crawlspace Repair in DeSoto, MO

Challenge

Penny R. had a spacious crawlspace in her home in DeSoto, Missouri. She experienced sagging floors and cracking walls and doorframes near the middle of her home. Penny contacted Woods Basement Systems, Inc. to find a solution to her problem. System Design Specialist Rob Cronin inspected Penny's home to find the supports in her crawlspace were no longer supporting the home, causing the floor to sag and walls to crack. These supports were made of cinderblocks, where one sank far enough that wood shims were placed to keep the support touching the wood beams. That solution was only short-term, as Penny found out. It required a lot of attention and maintenence, and ultimately did not work, as the supports continued to sink, providing the home with no support. Woods designed a solution for her so she would need no longer worry about further damage to her home.

Solution

The best solution for Penny was to install a new support beam supports, which will provide the home with the necessary support so further damage does not occur. Woods installed a new metal beam and the SmartJack® support jacks to raise the floor back to its original position, as well as provide strong support and stability to the home.

SmartJack® Installation Process: After the appropriate locations were determined for the support jacks, we excavated 2' by 2' holes and filled them with tightly compacted stone, which will not shift or settle, to stablize the area. Next, we placed concrete bases, which were carefully levelled in each area. Then, we cut steel tubes to size to place on the concrete bases, fitted with mounts placed agianst the beam. Lastly, each jack was tightened in attempt to raise the floor back to its original position.

Additionally, Penny decided it was best to encapsulate her crawlspace to give her crawlspace extra protection against humidity. Woods installed its CleanSpace® System, which would control the home's moisture levels.

CleanSpace® System Installation: We sealed off all points of entry for air, including vents and installing an airtight entry door, then installed a vapor barrier around the crawlspace, which was mechanically fastened to ensure it remains on the walls.

Project Summary

Systems Design Specialist: Robert Cronin

Primary Foreman: James Long IV