Wood Rot Repair in Saint Albans, Charleston, Huntington & Nearby

We can repair crawl space wood damage

Moldy, rotting wood can weaken the structural integrity of the foundation if not properly identified and repaired.

Repairing wood damage in crawl spaces caused by rot, mold, and termites may seem overwhelming and expensive. However, if you can catch the problem before it becomes too severe, a crawl space repair contractor can provide a quick and affordable remedy.

Simply repairing mold damage is not a lasting solution. If there are still conditions for mold to return, including moisture and high humidity, it will simply resume growing on your new wood over time.

Crawl space mold repairs in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio

At Alford Foundation and Crawl Space Repair, we specialize in repairing wood damage issues of all types, including moldy or damaged wood. For a free wood damage quote, call or e-mail us today! We proudly serve West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio areas throughout Beckley, Portsmouth, Charleston, and nearby.

Restoring rotting & moldy wood damage

When inspecting the damage, your contractor will have three main challenges:

• Determining what wood to replace
• Assessing where you need wood repairs
• Evaluating where repairs are not needed

In the case of structural wood, the entire piece, not just the damaged portion, will need to be replaced or reinforced. The same goes for structural posts, floor joists, beams, and similar wood.

The nature of the problem in your home isn't always straightforward to an untrained eye. That is why you should call a professional to identify what caused the damage — so it doesn't reoccur.

Our wood rot repair process

Does your crawl space have rotting, moldy, damaged wood? Alford Foundation and Crawl Space Repair provides reliable repairs, reinforcing the structural integrity of the crawl space and ensuring lasting results with our crawl space restoration, waterproofing, and encapsulation system.

Crawl Space Supports

Crawl space jack posts do more than reinforce your rotting crawl space beams and posts. They also restore your floor to its original position over time.

Often, it's not necessary to replace the wood, even when the crawl space frame shows mold damage. In these cases, we recommend crawl space jack posts, also known as crawl space supports, to repair the damage. These adjustable support beams can be installed quickly underneath your home to restore strength to your structure.

If your structural support beams are rotting, a sister beam of new wood may be installed along the old one to add structural strength.

Crawl space supports are appropriate to repair crawl space support posts that are rotting or supports that are sagging due to poor supporting soils. They're also an effective solution for crawl spaces that are sagging due to a poorly designed crawl space or one with too few supports to bear the weight of your home.

Supplemental Beams & Beam Replacement

We can replace failing support beams.

Depending on your crawl space, there are many reasons why the support beams fail. Wooden beams can crack, start to rot, or grow mold, especially if in a damp environment. And while steel beams seem more durable, they are vulnerable to rusting in a wet area.

If support beams are damaged, we may need to replace them. With the SmartJack™ Support System, we can reinforce a new support beam. The cast-in-place concrete footings level the floor and increase the house's structural integrity.

Joist Sisters

Floor Joists are an integral part of the floor support system for your home. Over time they can bow, twist, and sag, causing other building components to fail as well. Floor joists are designed to carry a specific load and can begin to fail for a variety of reasons. Age, poor design, alterations from plumbing and electrical installation, and most importantly moisture, can cause floor joists to fail.

One solution to correct failing floor joists is called "sistering." Sistering a floor joist describes adding another identical joist, like a sandwich, which doubles the thickness of the joist. Our specialists are trained to identify these issues and put together a plan of action to correct the problem and stabilize your floor once and for all.

Sill Plate Replacement

Sill plates are structural beams that lay where the concrete meets the home's framing and is what anchors the house to the foundation. If exposed to moisture or insects, sill plates can rot from under the building. If that is the case, we can replace the sill plate to reinforce the crawl space.

The sill plate can be the first to go in a rotting crawl space. That is why it is crucial to contact a professional when needing a replacement — this ensures a durable project that preserves the home's structural integrity and prevents future damage.

Not only do we replace the sill plate, but we also provide reliable crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation solutions to ensure a dry, healthy area.

Surface mold vs. wood rot

10% of the United State's wood production goes to repairing rotting wood, which destroys about 20 billion board feet of timber each year — far more than the annual amount destroyed by fire damage.

Why aren't trees damaged by mold and rot? The answer to this question can help you understand something important about mold. As mold grows, it feeds on the sugars, starches, and other compounds in wood. Living wood protects itself from mold and rot damage with its bark. The bark is absent of the sugars and starches that mold eats, discouraging mold growth. When wood is cut and processed, it loses this natural layer of protection and opens the door for mold and rot growth.

Surface Mold consumes the sugars and starches in the wood, which does not influence the strength of the wood. Wood rot can consume sugars and starches, but it also converts the structural polymers in wood fibers to food, which weakens the wood's strength.

If you have surface mold, you can clean it without damaging your wood. Wood rot is a deeper problem that may require serious repairs.

Why fix crawl space structural damage & wood rot?

Repairing crawl space structural damage and wood rot is a quick and reliable way to reinforce the home against a collapse. Other benefits include:

Schedule a free crawl space repair estimate to learn more. We proudly serve West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio areas throughout Portsmouth, Beckley, Ashland, Marietta, Pikeville, Ironton, Parkersburg, Huntington, Charleston, Saint Albans, and nearby.

Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.