Getting Your Residential Timber Stumps Replaced
Posted on: 25 January 2022
If your house is built on wood stumps, chances are high it will need to be restumped at some point in the future. Timber is an inorganic construction material that is susceptible to termite or insect damage and can rot when exposed to excessive moisture.
When residential timber stumps become damaged by the elements, they compromise the foundational strength of the building, putting building occupants in harm's way. House restumping, which involves removing damaged stumps and replacing them with new ones, will have to be performed to restore the structural integrity of the building.
To know when your house needs restumping, watch out for the following trouble signs.
You have spotted the signs of wood damage
If you spot signs of rotting or insect damage to your timber stumps during a visual inspection, you should bring in a restumping contractor right away. The contractor will remove the soil around your stumps to determine the extent of the problem. If the problem is serious, they may recommend that you get new house stumps.
Your house seems to be tilting
Are your residential floors uneven? Are you having problems with sticking doors and windows? Can you see cracks around your window and door frames? If so, then these are indications that your house is slanting to one side.
Stump foundations are generally preferred for houses built on sloping sites. If you see the signs of a tilting house, it's best to get your stumps checked because stump failure is the usual culprit behind the problem.
Your house was built many years ago
All house stumps have a limited lifespan and timber stumps, in particular, have the shortest life expectancy compared to concrete and steel versions. Even though your residential stumps may appear to be structurally sound during a visual check, years of exposure to the moist soil underneath the house might have gradually degraded the wood to the point of almost reaching failure.
To maintain the structural soundness of your house, it's prudent to keep track of the age of the house so you can accurately determine when restumping might be necessary.
Since degradation of timber stumps is inevitable, it is important that you get your residential stumps inspected regularly to keep track of problems that may require immediate attention. If you have rotting or badly damaged stumps, contact a restumping specialist near you to get them replaced and preserve the structural integrity of your home.
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