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How Crawl Space Jacks Can Help Restore Your Home’s Foundation

Imagine walking through your home and noticing something off – maybe the floors are sagging in the middle or feel uneven as you walk. Maybe you’ve noticed a musty smell lingering in the air, or cracks in your walls or floors. 

These symptoms could be signs of a nasty crawl space, and your floor joists may be struggling to support the weight of your home. Early detection of these problems hiding in your crawl space foundation can help prevent the problem worsening with costly repairs down the line. We’ll explain structural repair options and more to help restore and protect your crawl space.

newly installed crawl space IntelliJack

Signs of Crawl Space Damage

Let’s take a look at the crawl space repair signs to watch out for:

  • Bouncy or sagging floors: Often caused by issues with crawl space floor joists. These joists, whether wood or metal, can weaken due to excessive moisture, humidity, or damage from pests like termites, leading to wood damage and visible dips and gaps between the floor and wall. Wood rot, a fungal infection, weakens the joists, causing them to bend, and if untreated, can lead to them snapping. 
  • Drywall and other cracks: Cracks around walls, doorways, and window corners may be linked to weakened floor joists, supports, or foundation settling.
  • Increased humidity or condensation on windows: Most crawl spaces are exposed to the outdoors, allowing moisture to easily enter and rise into your home. This excess moisture can lead to condensation on windows and surfaces, making your home feel damp and humid. When humidity levels rise above 60%, it creates an environment conducive to musty odors and mold growth. Ideal indoor humidity should be between 40-60%. Although this may not be a structural issue, the moisture in your crawl space can lead to weakening floor joists and supports. 
  • Lack of indoor temperature control: Temperature fluctuations in your home, whether excessively cold floors in winter or too warm in summer, often indicate inadequate or damaged crawl space insulation. Drafts, heat loss, and rising energy bills are all signs of poor insulation, which allows air leaks that force your HVAC system to work harder, increasing heating and cooling costs. If the insulation is damaged, this can further strain your crawl space foundation and increase the risk of structural issues.

The Solution for Crawl Space Repair:

Structural Repairs:

Over time, moisture, soil settlement, and foundation shifts can cause floor joists and supports to weaken. The SettleStop IntelliJack Crawl Space Stabilizing System can address these issues by providing added support to stabilize and lift the foundation back into place, preventing further damage and sagging floors. You may have heard this nicknamed crawl space support posts or crawl space jacks.

clean , encapsulated crawl space with newly installed crawl space IntelliJacks

Vapor Barrier

Memphis’ frequent rainfall causes the earth to remain damp, and as the moisture evaporates, it rises into the crawl space. A quality vapor barrier like CrawlSeal™, a 20-mil thick barrier that prevents moisture from seeping in from the surrounding soil, helps prevent this, reducing the risk of mold, mildew, and other moisture-related issues.

crawl space encapsulated with vapor barrier

Dehumidification

To further reduce moisture levels, dehumidifiers are installed in crawl spaces. This helps control humidity, preventing mold growth and keeping the environment under control, which is crucial for the overall health of your home.

groundworks employee installing crawl space dehumidifier

Crawl Space Insulation

Poor insulation in the crawl space can lead to higher energy bills and discomfort in the home. Proper thermal insulation with ExtremeBloc™ ensures that your home maintains a consistent temperature, improves energy efficiency, and reduces the strain on heating and cooling systems.

groundworks employee installing crawl space insulation extremebloc

Drainage

Memphis’ frequent rainfall can cause water to pool in crawl spaces, leading to damage and structural issues. A combination of solutions can help with drainage. In addition to the CrawlSeal™ vapor barrier, these systems can protect your crawl space and home from moisture-related problems.

The powerful AquaStop™ Sump Pump ensures the water is effectively removed. 

close up of crawl drain opening

Trust Groundworks for Crawl Space Repairs in Memphis

groundworks box truck

If you notice signs like sagging floors or cracks in your walls, it may be time to call a crawl space company like Groundworks, servicing the Bluff City and surrounding areas. We can assess your crawl space and recommend solutions like crawl space support jacks or floor joist jacks to restore stability and prevent further damage. 

By identifying warning signs early and seeking professional help from a crawl space specialist, you can prevent costly repairs and protect your home from the effects of crawl space damage. Schedule your free inspection now to say goodbye to your creepy crawl space.

The IntelliJack system is a much better solution than sistering your floor joists. With an IntelliJack system, you can be sure your floor is secured with a long-term fix. In contrast, sistering will just push the problem off slightly. Here are the main benefits of the IntelliJack system.

  • An Actual System

Whereas sistering an existing floor joist merely adds extra material to the joist, the IntelliJack solution is a full system that works with your floor joists and improves the structural stability of your home. You’re adding something entirely new to the layout so that all the parts work in tandem to improve your floor, even the elements that are beginning to fail.

When you choose to sister a floor joist, you’re just trying to patch up the existing system. The IntelliJack system, instead, introduces something entirely new to the process, starting from the ground up to create an effective solution. That leaves you with a quality guarantee that can last several decades with only occasional maintenance.

  • Lifting the Floor Joist Itself

When you use the IntelliJack system, you’re not just hoping to boost your floor joist to a higher level. You’re lifting the floor joist as it stands through a mechanical process that makes it far easier to maintain your home’s structural stability and keep it strong.

Sistering a joist doesn’t lift the joist. It’s doomed to fail because when you add material, you’re inevitably going to see that material compress over time. Instead, you should look toward something like the IntelliJack system, which utilizes material that can truly lift the floor joist.

When you add crawl space supports, you’re enhancing the amount of structural support your crawl space has available. That can help you avoid sagging floors, which often have to do with a lack of support for your crawl space. 

  • An Effective Fix for Some Homes

Crawl space supports can be a great option if the problem in your crawl space revolves around an issue with your joists not having enough support overall. Many homes just need more load-bearing capacity underneath their joists. Rather than trying to sister the joist or just ignore the problem, crawl space supports can help you address the problem head-on.

Because of this, when you’re dealing with joists that are struggling under your home’s weight, crawl space jacks can be a great option. However, although crawl space supports can help you with sagging floors in some homes, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all repair. There are some instances where this just might not work well.

  • Request Help from an Expert

The best way to make sure you know what’s going on with your crawl space is to get help from an expert. A professional will be able to give you more information about the root causes, the associated issues, and any small warning signs you’ve overlooked. This will helps you pick the right fix, not the one that just seems acceptable.

Plus, the SettleStop IntelliJack™ support system is only available through a Groundworks expert, so you can get a high-grade solution to your problems. There are a lot of crawl space support opportunities, so you never have to worry about not having enough options. You can schedule an inspection today to get more help with your crawl space, no matter what’s happening.

Yes, a vapor barrier is necessary in a crawl space to prevent moisture from seeping through the soil and creating dampness, mold, and structural issues. A properly installed crawl space vapor barrier helps maintain healthy air quality in your home and protects your foundation from moisture-related damage.

Ted Dryce

Ted Dryce

Content Writer

Ted is an SEO Content Writer who has been with Groundworks since 2021. He’s covered home repair topics ranging from crawl space encapsulation to regional soil conditions. When he’s not working, Ted is performing improv comedy and working on his own creative projects.