Melting Wood Beams

Sagging wood beams

It looks like the wood is melting over the support columns. Crawl spaces are notoriously damp and humid spaces and are susceptible to excess moisture and dampness which makes a crawl space the perfect environment for mold to grow and wood rot.

According to the University of Illinois Small Homes Council, as much as 18 gallons of water per day can evaporate into a crawl space under a 1000-sq.-ft, house. Even if your dirt crawl space seems dry and dusty, the soil may be pulling in moisture that can rot wood floor joist and can cause beams and joists to weaken.

What’s the best way to fix the problem?

#1. The crawlspace must be converted from a vented crawlspace into an encapsulated, humidity controlled crawlspace. This vapor barrier, traps the water vapors that evaporate from the earth.

#2. In order to control the relative humidity, the vents must be closed off and the air must be supplied with warm dry air just like the rest of the house. Now the wood framing and flooring will dry out and improve the structural integrity of the house.

The permanent solution for structure support are adjustable , steel SmartJack columns.