What to Do When You Have a Crawl Space Issue
Amazing things can be done in a crawl space, such as storing valuables like “run money” or your mother’s old, dusty mason jars, or simply having a good old-fashioned good cry (crawl spaces are incredibly therapeutic).
Crawl space foundations, to put it another way, are ubiquitous in the United States of America. Unfortunately, crawl space foundations have unique, intrinsic challenges in addition to being vulnerable to the standard culprits of expansive soil (foundation settlement and foundation heave).
Here are the topics that will be discussed:
-Angled flooring (Crawl Space Jacks)
-New Pads and Posts
-Earthquakes (Seismic Retrofitting)
-Repairs the main stem
Levels That Gradually Decline
Uneven or sloping floors are a classic indicator of structural problems with the foundation. The objective is to always feel safe and secure while ambling through one’s home, without ever having to worry about dizziness or tripping (although, the dips are kind of cool if you have Heelys).
Due to the fact that there is a large cavity just under your feet, your home can easily bow inwards under the pressure of earthquakes. We anchor the top bracket of your current or future girder beam to the concrete footing using crawl space jacks made from tough galvanized steel. In the process of popping your floor back into place, this gives additional support and strength.
Replacing a Post and Its Pad
If you’re bold enough to explore the depths of your crawlspace, you may find that the floor has been propped up with a plethora of shims and crooked wooden supports. Taking out the old pads and installing new ones is a viable option if this is the case.
Your home’s floor foundation will be safe and sound for many more years when the old post and pad system is removed and replaced. Existing pads, if any, usually show signs of wear and tear after years of use. If you want to keep your floor in good condition and prevent damage, you should change the pads when they reach a particular level of wear and tear.
Earthquakes
This is something to think about if your home has an elevated foundation. It was discovered that many California-raised foundations lacked adequate retrofitting. In light of the fact that it is only a matter of time before the big one strikes, it is important to be ready for it.
Attaching your house firmly to the foundation is a must. It is possible to do this in a number of ways, one of which is to drill through the sill plate and into the foundation. After this is done, a suitable anchor bolt is inserted into the hole and the nut is tightened.
This process is then done in each room of the house. An alternative is to use a certified bracket. The bracket is fastened to the sill plate on the side of the house and then secured to the basement floor. Both approaches are efficient; the one chosen will depend on the depth of your crawlspace.
Repair of the Stem Wall
Many of these older, legally protected homes require stem wall repair, while the degree of the repairs we are able to make varies substantially.
However, not every older house qualifies for historic preservation.
Complete removal and rebuilding of the footing may be necessary if, for instance, the stem wall is a rock foundation (where boulders were stacked, and the gaps were filled with mortar, similar to a brick wall).
In the absence of this reinforcement, the original stem wall will collapse under the weight of lateral stresses. If a concrete stem wall has fractures but full R&R isn’t needed, we can just fix the cracks with epoxy. We can also add a carbon fiber wrap to the stem wall to make it more robust and stable.
The RLM Retrofit Foundation can be reached through its website. Do you have the funds to fix the structural damage to your home? Getting our experts involved could be crucial to resolving this problem. Let’s start working right away to fortify your house’s security and boost its value!
Are there any questions you want to answer before we begin? We can be reached at (800) 824-6699 or by using the online form provided on our site. As soon as possible, one of our specialists will be in touch with you. Let me know what the going rate is, and I’ll be ready to start working. Let us do Foundation Inspection Chatsworth and repair for you today.
