Stabilizing a Kitchen Floor in McKenney, VA

Challenge

This Mc Kenney homeowner contacted us because their kitchen floor was sagging, and they wanted to see what could be done to stabilize and lift it back up.

To determine what steps needed to be taken, we inspected under the home in the crawl space. At the inspection we found that there were significant moisture issues, mold damage, and wood rot under the home. However, at this time, the homeowner asked us only to address the sagging kitchen floor.

A sagging floor can be a result of damage to the joists or beams supporting it, settling of the foundation, or added weight during a remodel such as an island counter that was not there before.

Solution

To address the concerns with the kitchen floor, we installed a supplemental beam under the kitchen. This beam adds support to the existing floor system. We then installed Smart Jacks. To install the jacks, we first dig through the soil and pour concrete to create a stable base for the jack. These are known as footers. Simply setting the jack on dirt or a concrete block or two will result in the soil below it being displaced and the support settling. The jacks are installed on top of the poured concrete pad and adjusted to support the floor. SmartJacks can be easily adjusted if there is any future settlement of the foundation.  

This will help the homeowner achieve their goal of stabilizing the kitchen floor. However, we recommend they address the moisture issues in their crawl space. If left untreated, these conditions can worsen and result in serious damage to the home’s foundation.