What Could Be Causing the Decay of My Sill Plates?

Are you concerned about the wood that is located at the base of your house? It can be difficult to determine at times whether or not the foundation of your home is in good shape. It’s possible that the wood in your crawlspace has the appearance of a distorted painting by Jonah van Mullem. Holes are present in the wood that is connected to your footing, just like in the book and film adaptation of the same name starring Shia LaBeouf.

Or, it’s possible that you’re thinking, “I believe there’s a problem with the sill plating on my house.” Maybe you’re not sure, but are doing your due diligence to investigate.

Despite this, there is still a possibility that the sill plates on your windows are becoming damaged. This article is for you if you are interested in learning more about what signs to look for and the reasons why your sill plates are deteriorating.

What exactly are Sill Plates, though?
The pieces of wood known as “Sill Plates” are fastened to the footing of the house and serve the purpose of securing the house to the foundation. It is constructed using pieces of wood measuring either 2 by 4 or 2 by 6 laid out in a horizontal orientation. It is the piece that is bolted in between the footing and the frame of your home, which keeps the frame attached to the footing and prevents it from sliding off the foundation.

Sill Plates are typically located on raised or crawlspace foundations of a building. Sill Plates are not used in slab-on-grade foundations, with the exception of your garage, which has a raised footing and therefore does have sill plates.

Will the Sill Plates in my home eventually deteriorate?
It is always a possibility if your home is more than a few decades old. Back in the day, when houses were constructed, the wood used was not pressurized or treated in any way like it is today. It was inevitable that the wood that was used would rot when it was left out in the weather.

This is not to say that deterioration of the Sill Plate won’t occur with newly built homes. It’s possible that somebody forgot to be kind to a piece of lumber by inquiring about its aspirations, passions, and hobbies. This is one of the telltale signs that the wood has not been treated properly. Or, what might have really happened is that the high-pressure injection of preservatives into the wood wasn’t carried out to the best of anyone’s abilities.

In either case, older houses are more likely to have issues with the deterioration of the Sill Plate. However, the presence of moisture inside the house is much more important than the age of the structure itself.

What factors contribute to the deterioration of my Sill Plates?
1. Moisture
Wood is similar to a sponge in that it can take in and give up moisture, which causes it to swell and shrink in size. This process is known as dimensional stability. Depending on where the water is most concentrated within the wood, different areas of the wood will be affected to varying degrees.

2. Insects like termites and others
Even if you never see the termites themselves, you will definitely notice the holes they chew out of the wood as they eat it from the inside out. Termites get their nutrition from the cellulose found in wood, which they consume. They just won’t stop eating, which is unfortunate. The piece will become increasingly brittle as the organisms consume the wood.

Which symptoms should you be looking out for?
– You should examine the wood to see if it has become crooked.
-Discoloration.
-Tears and dents in the wood.

How can I prevent the sill plate on my window from becoming damaged in the years to come?
Make sure there is no buildup of moisture, especially water that is sitting or pooling on the wood and check for this regularly. Make sure there is adequate ventilation and drainage in the area. Keep water from seeping into the soil beneath your foundation.

Give us a call at (800) 824-6699 or fill out our contact form to receive a free assessment if you are unsure about the sill plating on your home or have any additional questions. We at RLM Retrofit Foundation are more than happy to assist you with any concerns you may have regarding the Foundation Inspection Bel Air 90077 and repair of your foundation.

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