No matter what type of home you’re living in, if you have an uneven floor, it can be an indicator for other serious issues. Uneven floors could cause potential safety problems for you and your family. It could cause trip hazards or promote accidents in the home. Uneven floors might indicate structural shifts which could promote mold and bacteria to grow and damage your health. Furthermore, if your floor is uneven, it can indicate structural or foundation issues.
Why do I have an uneven floor?
There are several factors that can cause your floors to slope or bow. More likely than not, your uneven floor could be indicative of a foundation issue in your home.
Excess Moisture or Water
A very common reason for uneven floors is excess water or moisture under the surface near the foundation. Instances like broken pipes, or small cracks in pipes can release water and liquids over time. This can weaken structures and end up washing soils away.
Even if the water is not obvious, this could cause structural destruction. If the water has been present for long periods of time, it can warp and weaken your structural materials from their original shape. Also, going through weather changes such as freezing and thawing, can cause your structural materials to break down.
Tree Roots
Sometimes, tree roots will end up growing beneath your home foundation. This can cause your concrete outside to crack and shift. This can also cause uneven or sagging floors within your home. Alongside causing your foundation to shift and your floors to become uneven, the roots can also obtain moisture from your floors, causing them to become dry and shriveled.
Structural Settling
Structural settling is a given, no matter how new or old your home is. Settling is the process of a home naturally shifting or sinking over time with weather changes. Drought, rainfall, cold winters, and other changing weather conditions can be the cause of settling. These weather conditions have an effect on the soil beneath your home, causing it to expand and contract, and therefore, shifting your home’s foundation.
Ground Shifting
Ground shifting beneath your home is a common occurrence and does not always end up causing issues. However, living in the Pacific Northwest means that there are different varieties of ground conditions. Clay type soils act as a sponge, therefore it contracts and expands dramatically with changing weather conditions. Sandy silty soil can also have many variables that may cause it to shift or sink such as being improperly compacted beneath the build, natural erosion, or weather conditions causing soil to shrink and expand over time.
What to do about your uneven floor
All of these factors could be the reason why your floor is uneven. Aside from identifying the root cause of your uneven floor, you need to determine whether or not this issue needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
Other factors that can indicate a more serious foundation issue:
- Cracks in your walls, floor, or foundation
- Your chimney pulling away from the home
- Doors or windows that stick or don’t open and close properly
- Gaps around door frames or window frames
If you are noticing any of these issues around your home, it is a good idea to get your home inspected by a professional. Our friendly team at True Level Concrete, can inspect your home and determine the cause of your uneven or sloping floors. During this, our team can also present a free quote for repairs. These things don’t get better with time, they get better with True Level.