Do My Floor Joists Need to Be Replaced?

When the damage becomes too much, floor joists need to be replaced. Your home cannot stay stable if the floor joists are damaged, so leaving them in the crawl space to break down will only cosmetically and structurally ruin your home. 

Whether you replace or repair your floor joists will depend on what broke it down in the first place and for how long the problem was going on before something was done. Replacing floor joists tends to be a little more expensive than repairing them and adding a support jack system, so it’s something you’ll want to try to avoid as much as possible. 

When to Replace 

Wooden joists should be replaced when they are too weak to support your floor. If they are broken or too cracked, then they need to be replaced. The same thing goes for joists that have a fungal infection. When the infection advances enough, the wood becomes too soft to do its job or too broken down. The same thing happens when the wood is waterlogged. 

It is not advised that you try to replace the wood yourself. You should always hire a foundation specialist to decide whether it needs to be replaced first. There are times when unnecessary expenses can be avoided because an expert was able to find a better solution. 

When Not to Replace 

When it comes to wood rot, there are times when the wood can be preserved if the problem is caught early. Before the fungal infection can completely colonize the wood and weaken it, the infection can be cleared, and the wood can be coated in a wood preservative. This wood preservative will help keep fungus away from the joist. Sometimes, resin is used to fill any gaps left behind by the infection so that the wood can have the strength it needs. Of course, even when the fungus can be removed, the joist will still need a support jack. 

Remember, this is only possible if the problem is caught early. If you do not have a waterproof crawl space, even if you don’t see anything there, then your crawl space is most likely growing mold. Standing water may not be a huge priority, but that’s only until the structural problems begin to appear. Don’t hesitate to contact foundation specialists, so they can tell you what you need to keep your crawl space safe and spot the problem signs.