Fixing Rotted Floor Girder

Raise these jacking timbers just enough to relieve the load on the girder.

Fixing rotted floor girder.

If a contractor finds a joist is severely damaged a sister beam can be installed alongside the normal one for extra strength. Once in place the floor can be jacked up in an attempt to lift the floor back to a level position. Sagging floors doors that won t close and cracks that appear in interior walls can be symptomatic of a more serious problem. Girder and joist jacks also known as steel lally columns can be installed at key locations along the structure.

If joists or floorboards are nailed into the beam cut the nails with a reciprocating saw before you try to remove the beam. Other clues about the floor damage included discolored flooring mold along the wall and lots of opportunity for water leaks with washer toilet and water heater. Deteriorating floor joists posts or beams can be caused by termite infestation water damage or dry rot. When replacing rotted floor joists it s important to be sure the girder and sill are still intact.

It s easier and much cheaper to prevent rot rather than fix it. Support the floor joists and or any concentrated loads the girder carries with jacking timbers set under the joists on both sides of the girder. Seal all cracks. If only a few joists are rotted primarily at the bottom they can be repaired using a process known as sistering after the rot is cleaned away and the timber treated to prevent more problems a new joist is laid beside the old.

To check joists and diagnose the problem a pro must pull up the flooring and the subfloor to see what shape they re in. If your floor systems is damaged affordable foundation home repairs can offer free advice on how we repair your home. You may have undersized support beams support posts that are rotting and losing their structural integrity or undersized post footings that are settling. Stepping through the floor was not the first hint that it had rotted out but it sure moved the floor repair up on the priority list for a house with plenty of remodel projects to do.