Structural Repairs
The same issues causing indoor air-quality and comfort problems in your Delaware or Maryland home can also precipitate structural and foundation damage. FLC Energy offers whole house solutions to prevent moisture, humidity and groundwater issues, but we also offer structural repair services for your home when there is existing damage.
What Do the Solutions Entail?
That depends on the project of course, but typical solutions include:
Rim Joist and Sill-Plate Replacement or Repair
Sometimes entire sections need to be removed and replaced, while other times areas just need to be patched in or supported.
Main Girder Replacement, Repair and Support
Since they carry the main load of the home and distribute the weight to the ground, these elements are critical. Sometimes girders can be replaced in full, sistered with new wood, or just supported from the bottom with new footers and supports.
Floor Joists Sistering and Scabbing
Sistering is attaching a new joist, parallel and alongside the existing one, effectively doubling the strength and rigidity. Scabbing refers to attaching a shorter piece of wood to repair localized damage or to reinforce a specific area of a floor joist.
Concrete Footer Installation
Putting a Jack or Lifting shore on the ground doesn’t work. Your house weighs hundreds of thousands of pounds. The structural repairs need to be set upon a solid foundation.
Steel Lifting Shores
A lifting shore replaces the need for a temporary floor-jack. Lifting shores are used to elevate the home, but they remain in place after the repairs are complete, allowing them to be adjusted continuously in the future as renovations occur throughout the home.
It’s not uncommon to find structural damage in old homes and many people expect floors to be out of level in older properties. However, structural issues are quite common in newer construction as well. Everything from humidity to plumbing leaks and engineering to standing water effect these structural concerns.
In new construction, engineered beams are often spanned to their maximum allowances. Add a few years of wetting and drying to that wood and what was once just an annoyance in the movement of the floor can wind up with a significant slope or sag.
One of the most common repairs on Delmarva has to do with wood rot. We see wood rot in floor-joists, sub-floors and main girders, but also at the sill-plate and rim-joist of the home. Sometimes these issues are related to problems below the home, but failures at the sill-plate and rim-joist often have to do with flashing problems on the home’s exterior.
Our Benefits
What are the Benefits of Structural Repairs in your Home?
- A Sense of Security: Undertaking structural repairs in your home provides a profound sense of security, knowing that your living environment is safe and stable. This peace of mind is invaluable for any homeowner, as it ensures that your family is protected from potential dangers associated with structural failures, such as collapses or falling debris. Moreover, addressing these issues promptly can prevent accidents, offering a safer home environment where your family can thrive without concerns about the physical integrity of the building.
- Lower Costs When You Take Quick Action: Addressing structural issues early on can significantly reduce the likelihood of facing more severe and expensive repairs in the future. Structural damages tend to worsen over time; what starts as a minor crack or sag can quickly escalate into a major problem that requires extensive and costly intervention. By taking proactive measures to repair these problems when they are first noticed, you can avoid the exponential increase in repair costs that typically accompanies neglected issues.
- Protecting the Value of Your Property: Structural repairs not only fix current problems but also protect the market value of your home. A well-maintained home, free from structural defects, will invariably hold its value better and be more appealing to potential buyers. Furthermore, implementing long-term solutions as part of the repair process—such as improved drainage systems, better waterproofing, or upgraded materials—ensures that the issues are unlikely to recur. This commitment to quality and durability in repairs enhances the overall desirability and longevity of your property, making it a wise investment for the future.
Rather Watch a Video?
Here’s a “Short” from our YouTube page, filmed during a recent structural repair project we completed in Ocean Pines.
Other Means of Long-Term Control
Effective moisture management is crucial for preventing structural issues in homes. Extending downspouts away from the foundation ensures that water from roofs is directed far from the building’s base, reducing the risk of water infiltration. Installing French drain systems around the perimeter of your home can also channel away groundwater, preventing accumulation that could lead to foundation damage. For areas prone to high moisture, such as basements and crawl spaces, sump pumps are essential for actively removing water that accumulates during heavy rainfall or flooding. Additionally, encapsulating crawl spaces and employing dehumidifiers can significantly reduce humidity levels, protecting structural components from rot and decay. These strategies form a comprehensive moisture control plan that not only addresses immediate concerns but also prevents future structural issues by keeping the environment around and under your home dry and stable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Solutions Does FLC Energy Offer?
- Concrete Footer Installation
- Main Beam and Girder Replacement
- Floor-Joist Sistering and Scabbing
- Jack-Posts and Pier Installation
- Rim-Joist, Sub-floor and Sill-Plate Repair
- Continuously Adjustable Lifting Shores
What Should You Be Looking For at Your Own Home?
- Bouncing Floors and Clanking Belongings
- Sagging and Settling Floors
- Cupping Floors and Cracked Tiles
- Gaps at your Baseboard and Trim
- Cracking, Separating and Other Drywall Damage
- Doors that are Hard to Open and Close
How Much Does it Cost?
Let’s just be upfront about it… this work isn’t cheap. That said, each house and its issues are different – they need to be treated that way. What is right for one house won’t be right for another. A site visit and thorough inspection of the property is absolutely necessary to creating a solution that works for you. We design our work-scopes to solve problems once and for all and provide clarity on expectations for the delivered product.
As a part of FLC Energy’s services, we’ll inspect your property and create a detailed repair estimate for the work. A site-visit is a must for quoting structural repairs because we need to test different areas of the structure, obtain information on the framing details and dimensions, and get an idea about the accessibility of the work-space.
The longer you wait to address a structural concern, the worse it will get. We frequently run into client’s who could have avoided major issues with their home’s structure if they had just addressed an issue at the first signs of a problem.
Trust FLC Energy
FLC Energy is a trusted name in crawl space services. With years of Home Performance experience and a team of certified professionals, we have helped countless homeowners transform their crawl space. Our expertise lies in our house as a system approach. We understand the unique needs of each home and provide tailored solutions, ensuring you receive the driest, cleanest and most energy efficient crawl space.
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