Your crawl space can be challenging to keep clean. Moisture loves to accumulate in this area and water can eventually cause sagging on your floor. This sagging can endanger both you and your family. Fortunately, this problem can be fixed.
If you have sagging floors, one of your first thoughts is likely, “How do I fix it?” Installing crawl space support jacks is one option. Crawl spaces are prone to structural issues such as settling columns, sagging beams, and fatigued floor joints.
Settling columns in a crawl space are frequently caused by weak supporting soils beneath that cannot withstand the weight and pressure transferred through the house. With soil density and moisture content changes, these weak soils can begin to settle and shift over time. The floor can sag, and the house structure can weaken as the columns and beams move out of place.
Inadequately spaced crawl space pier columns can also cause sagging floor joists and beams. When these beams are spaced too far apart, they can become overloaded, resulting in bending and sagging. Crawl space jacks will help strengthen the weakened crawl space by providing additional support.
What Is the Purpose of Crawl Space Structural Support Jacks?
Crawl space support jacks are steel piers used to support failing floor joists. The support jacks provide the support for the floor to remain level. When constructing a crawl space, the floor joists are supported by multiple piers, typically made of concrete, wood, or a combination of the two. However, when a floor joist begins to fail, these support piers provide little assistance because they cannot be moved to accommodate the change. Even if they could, other crawl space areas would be unsupported.
Crawl space jacks are adjustable metal beams quickly and affordably installed in a crawlspace. A hole must first be dug to install a crawl space jack, and a solid base of engineered fill must be established beneath the jack’s location.
On top of the fill, a pre-cast concrete base is installed, and the crawl space jack is mounted. Following installation, the system can be tightened and adjusted to secure the support and lift the floor beam above.
Crawl space support jacks work by transferring a house’s load from the beams and directing it down into the existing soils. They are more robust, cleaner, better, and faster to install than concrete beams, and they are fully compatible with the crawl space encapsulation system.
Crawl Space Jack Posts for Floor Repair
Heavy-duty galvanized steel jack posts are the most durable and corrosion-resistant crawl space structural supports available.
The crawl space jacks can support up to 50,000 pounds per brace and is adjustable to restore a home’s structure and property value. Each crawl space support jack has a base of engineered fill installed beneath it, and it can be installed without any need for supplemental shimming later.
Crawl space supports should ideally be installed in an encapsulated crawl space with a crawl space moisture barrier and dehumidifier. The wood of the subfloor and beams is best preserved, and the structure is strongest and ready to support your system when this vapor barrier is installed and all vents are sealed.
Installation of Crawl Space Support Jacks by HydroHelp911
Making Preparations for Installation A system design specialist will inform you before installation to design a crawl space support system that will effectively restore structural stability to your home. When your installers arrive, the location of each crawl space support jack will be mapped out for them, ensuring a proper installation.
At each crawl space jack location, our team of in-house crawl space repair contractors will dig a 2′ square, 2′ deep hole at the start of the installation. Engineered fill comprising tightly compacted crushed rock will prepare each of these holes.
PLACING THE PRECAST FOOTING
A pre-cast concrete base (or footing) is carefully leveled on the engineered fill. The footing acts as a stable foundation for the steel jack post, keeping it vertical and distributing the weight-bearing on the bar over a large soil area. Underneath the footing, an engineered fill base provides strong support that will not shift, settle, or be impacted by soil moisture. Some building codes may call for a poured concrete foundation rather than engineered fill.
The bearing pressures have dissipated to approximately 10% of the stresses at the top of the post when the weight is distributed through the precast base and the fill. This means that even if your supporting soils are weak, the weight of the building will not exceed their bearing capacity.
CUTTING THE JACK POSTS TO LENGTH.
After the new bases have been installed, the steel crawl space jack posts are measured and cut to length.
The steel tube in each crawl space jacks has a triple-layer, in-line galvanized coating. A uniform hot-dip zinc galvanizing layer is included in the triple-layer coating process.
Corrosion resistance is improved by using an intermediate conversion coating. A clear, top organic coat to improve appearance and reliability. The inside of the pier tube has a zinc-rich coating as well.
TIGHTENING & ASSEMBLING.
In your crawl space, each crawl space jack post is assembled. The crawl space jack’s top is secured to the rafter meticulously plumbed the installation. When existing girders are undersized or rotted, a new sister girder is installed alongside the original to strengthen and reinforce the structure.
Then, each crawl space jack is tightened to reclaim the floor to its original position. In many cases, the contractors will level floors, seal cracks in walls, and prevent further deterioration. The jacks will remain adjustable for future tightening if necessary.
CRAWL SPACE ENCAPSULATION
If mold, rot, and moisture have caused damage to your wood crawl space joists, rafters, or supports, you will need to address these issues to avoid further damage. Encapsulation entails sealing all crawl space vents, installing an airtight crawl space door, and lining crawl space walls and floors with a long-lasting plastic liner. Extra drainage measures, such as installing interior drains and a sump pump, may be included in this treatment.
Crawl space encapsulation prevents moisture-related damage and structural issues that arise when framing members rot and deteriorate. You’ll improve your home’s overall energy efficiency and indoor air quality by investing in crawl space encapsulation.
Watch Our Crawl Space Encapsulation in Cornelius, NC | Sealed Crawl Space
Contact HydroHelp911 for a Free Consultation
Is your crawl space getting you down? You can rest easy knowing that HydroHelp911 has your back. We provide expert solutions for all of your crawl space repair and waterproofing needs. Don’t hesitate, schedule a free consultation today. Our team will assess your crawl space and provide the best solution for your home.
WHY DO I NEED JACKS FOR STRUCTURAL SUPPORT?
Every crawl space with joist failure requires structural support jacks. Because your crawl space is the foundation that keeps the house stable, if one part fails, the entire structure begins to crumble. This is because the weight of the house is distributed unevenly in the absence of an even floor. When this occurs, pressure is applied that the place is not prepared to handle. If you don’t take action as soon as you notice a problem, your home will suffer from the following structural damage:
- Uneven floors.
- Tiles and floorboards that have broken.
- Doors and windows were jammed.
- Cracks in the wall.
- Gaps in the walls and floors.
- Nail pops in drywall.
Failure to repair your crawl space can also result in higher energy bills due to the stack effect, which describes how air flows into your home. The crawl space provides approximately half of the air you breathe in your home. This is since warm air from the outside streams into the foundation, and since warm air is lighter than cool air, it goes up into your home. Because colder air is denser, it enters and pushes out warm air during the winter.
When joists fail and your floor becomes uneven, gaps form, exposing your crawl space. These gaps merely facilitate the entry of air into your home. During the summer, the warm crawl space air interferes with your air conditioner’s ability to keep the room cool, requiring it to use more energy. The same thing happens with your HVAC system during the winter. Your energy bills will rise because of this.
ARE CRAWL SPACE SUPPORTS A GOOD OPTION FOR THE CRAWL SPACE?
Crawl space supports can be a great option if your crawl space problem revolves around your joists not possessing enough overall support. Many houses require more load-bearing capacity beneath their joists. Instead of attempting to sister the joist or simply ignoring the problem, crawl space supports can assist you in addressing it head-on.
As a result, when dealing with joists that are buckling under the weight of your home, crawl space jacks can be a great option. Although crawl space supports can help with sagging floors in some homes, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all fix. There are some cases where this may not work well.
