Floor Problems and What to Look For

One of the things that you’ll need to have for a home inspection in Westchester or any other place for that matter is a complete accounting done of the shape of the floors in the home. While few people think of the floors as a separate entity like the plumbing or heating systems, the floors in any house are unique with their own sets of concerns and issues that need to be pointed out by a competent home inspector. There are several large issues that you’ll need to look at that are associated only with floors and the first of these is the one that most people find as one of the most common problems—squeaks.

Most people readily accept the fact that wood floors will have a squeak—over time the plywood that makes up the subfloor tends to separate from the joists beneath it. These parts lift up in certain spots and when someone walks across the subfloor, that part of the floor is forced down and this is where the squeak comes from. While this can be a little bothersome, it is not usually a cause for concern in that it compromises a structural problem. Still, if you find this is something that you would like to fix, there are several ways this can be done.

Screws are a common way that homeowners tackle this problem. They insert the screws at points along the subfloor to keep it in contact with the joists. If this will be too much work from above, it is also possible to add shims from underneath to stop the noise. However, there are a few times where squeaks can mean there is something more seriously wrong.

In one of the worst case scenarios, a foundation that’s cracked and shifted will pull the joists all around and cause them to separate from the subfloor. Here you’ll need to check for cracks and other indicators in the foundation. If you find anything wrong with the foundation, you should get a professional home inspector to look at the potential problem.

Unevenness is another problem; this is generally not an issue in new homes but it can be a large problem in older places where there’s a drainage problem as well. In the worst case scenario, you’ll be able to see the uneven areas with your eye. You might be able to feel it as well—one corner of the room might feel a little lower than the other or you might be able to feel a bump somewhere as you go across. To make sure, take a marble and place it in the center of the floor to see what happens. 

Return To Our Home and House Learning Library

Visit Our Home Inspection Supersite