Support Sagging, Soft or Uneven Floors with IntelliJacks

Maintaining a safe and stable home is very important for homeowners. Unless you want to feel like you live in the Leaning Tower of Pisa, having level floors also should be at the top of the list.

It is common for homes to settle and support systems to fail as they age. The soil underneath your home’s foundation changes as it expands when wet and contracts when dry, which can lead to settlement. Floors also can sag because of weakened joists and settling columns.

Some telltale signs of settling, sagging floors include:

• Sloping floors, which sometimes create a gap between the floor and interior walls.
• Interior wall cracks and gaps around door frames, which is caused by a wall sinking along with the floor.
• Sticking doors, or doors that have been planed in order to close.
• Gaps or uneven spacing between existing columns or girders in the crawl space or basement, which can overload the main support beam and cause it to fail.
• Shimming between existing columns and girders in the crawl space or basement, which is a sign of past repair attempts.
• Evidence of wood rot and compression of the floor joists in the crawl space or basement, which is a sign of excessive moisture and humidity.

While these are typical in homes, that doesn’t mean these signs should be neglected. You don’t want to walk into a room of your home and feel like you are on a ski slope or about to sink into the floor.

The worst thing you can do, other than ignoring the problem, is settle for a quick fix. Some failed solutions include installing concrete columns, which are not adjustable and may later settle; additional shimming, which is only a temporary fix that will continually need to be addressed and repaired; and installing light-duty jack posts, which can only hold a little amount of weight.

Ohio Basement Authority has the perfect solution that can be installed in basements and crawl spaces to stabilize sagging floors – the IntelliJack Stabilizer. It may look like a typical jack post, but it is much sturdier. This heavy-duty, galvanized steel post allows for the immediate stabilization and potential lifting of sagging floors. It will not rust or corrode, and it can support loads over 20,000 pounds. It also can be adjusted if any settling occurs.

The installation process is simple. Once a hole is excavated in the crawl space or basement floor, the footing base is prepared with engineered fill. After the footing is placed or poured, a galvanized steel tube is cut to the appropriate length. The steel column and other components are assembled and connected to the support beam or floor joists, then adjusted and tightened. IntelliJacks also can be installed in conjunction with CrawlSeal, our crawl space encapsulation system.

 

If you have uneven, bouncy floors, contact Ohio Basement Authority today to schedule your free, no obligation inspection. Our expert team can help you create a permanently stable home and restore your property value!