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6 Top Causes of Sagging Crawl Space Beams

damaged wood beam in a crawl space

When walking through your home, a sudden dip or sag in the floor can be a startling discovery, often leading to a sinking feeling—both literally and metaphorically.

This unsettling experience is commonly caused by issues within the crawl space beneath your home, specifically with the beams or floor joists that support the structure.

Understanding the underlying causes of sagging beams or floor joists in a crawl space is crucial for any homeowner. It’s not just about fixing a floor; it’s about addressing the health and stability of your entire home.

From excess moisture to inadequate support, we’ll delve into the common culprits behind this all-too-frequent problem and explore how to identify and resolve these foundational concerns.

Understanding the Root Causes

Sagging beams and floor joists in your crawl space can lead to significant structural issues within your home, affecting its integrity and safety. Understanding the root causes is the first step toward resolution.

Here are the top six reasons for this common problem:

  • Excessive Moisture and Humidity: Prolonged exposure to high levels of moisture can lead to the rotting of wooden beams and joists, weakening their structural integrity.
  • Poorly Designed Structural Support: Inadequate or improperly spaced supports can lead to an uneven distribution of weight, causing beams and floor joists to sag over time.
  • Termite Damage and Pest Infestations: Termites and other wood-destroying insects can compromise the strength of wooden structures, leading to significant sagging and damage.
  • Overloading: Placing excessive weight on floors, more than what the beams and joists were designed to support, can cause them to bend and sag.
  • Foundation Settlement: Shifts in the foundation can lead to misaligned supports and uneven weight distribution, impacting the crawl space structure.
  • Water Damage and Rot: Continuous exposure to water, through leaks or flooding, can cause wood to rot, reducing its ability to support the home effectively.

Addressing these issues promptly can prevent further damage and ensure the safety and longevity of your home’s structure.

Avoiding DIY Disasters: The Drawbacks of Concrete Block Fixes

If you’re experiencing sagging beams or floor joists in your crawl space, you may be considering a DIY fix, such as using concrete blocks. However, this approach is not recommended due to several significant drawbacks:

  • Not Adjustable: Concrete blocks are fixed in size and cannot be adjusted to accommodate changes in the structure’s needs over time.
  • Limited Capacities: They have restricted weight-bearing capacities, which may not be sufficient for your home’s requirements.
  • Doesn’t Address Weak Soils: This method fails to tackle underlying issues, such as weak soil conditions that may be causing the sagging.
  • No Concrete Footings: Without proper footings, concrete blocks can sink into the ground, compromising the support they’re supposed to provide.
  • Does Not Meet Code: Using concrete blocks in certain situations may violate local building codes, leading to potential fines and legal challenges.
  • Time-Consuming: Setting up concrete blocks correctly is a labor-intensive process that takes significant time and effort.
  • Temporary Fix: This is often just a stopgap solution, meaning the original problems will likely reoccur.
  • Damages Will Recur: Without addressing the root cause, the structural issues will persist, leading to recurring damages.
  • Does Not Lift Floors and Walls: Concrete blocks do not correct the sagging; they merely prop up the existing structure without fixing the underlying issue.

Opting for concrete blocks as a DIY solution for sagging crawl space supports is fraught with problems and should be avoided in favor of seeking professional advice and solutions.

Choose IntelliJack™ Crawl Space Jacks

Choosing IntelliJack™ Crawl Space Jacks over traditional concrete blocks offers a significant upgrade in the support and longevity of your home’s structure. Here’s why IntelliJack™ stands out as the superior solution:

  • Superior Stability and Load-Bearing Capacity: Designed to securely support floor joists and beams, each IntelliJack™ can sustain over 24,000 lbs., providing solid support to eliminate floor sponginess and unevenness.
  • Adjustability for Continuous Stability: Unlike fixed concrete blocks, IntelliJack™ Crawl Space Jacks allow for fine-tuned adjustments, ensuring ongoing alignment and structural integrity over time.
  • Enhanced Structural Reinforcement: These steel pillars enhance the stability of your home’s floor joists, significantly reducing the risk of sagging and uneven floors.
  • Decreased Floor Movement: By reinforcing the floor joists, IntelliJack™ decreases floor movement and squeaking, resulting in a firmer and quieter floor surface.
  • Opportunity for Floor Restoration: The adjustability and strength provided by IntelliJack™ offer the potential to lift and correct uneven floors, restoring them to their original condition.
  • Prevention of Further Deterioration: Supporting weakened joists with IntelliJack™ helps prevent further damage, such as widening floor gaps, sticking doors, and additional drywall cracks.
  • Durability for the Long Term: Constructed from robust steel, IntelliJack™ provides a durable, long-lasting solution to structural concerns, outperforming the temporary fix that concrete blocks offer.
encapsulated crawl space with IntelliJacks

Choose AFS: Elevate Your Home with IntelliJack™

installation of IntelliJackâ„¢ Crawl Space Jacks

Choosing AFS means you’re getting more than just expert service and unique solutions; you’re giving your home the VIP treatment it deserves.

With us, you’re not just another job on the list; you’re part of the family, and we’re here to make sure your home stands strong and secure.

So why not go with IntelliJack™ Crawl Space Jacks for a full-circle approach to keeping your place safe and sound?

Schedule a free inspection today.

Ted Dryce

Ted Dryce

Content Writer

Ted is an SEO Content Writer who has been with Groundworks since 2021. He’s covered home repair topics ranging from crawl space encapsulation to regional soil conditions. When he’s not working, Ted is performing improv comedy and working on his own creative projects.

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