Crowning Floors in Redwood City is Common
Ever walk into a house and feel like you are climbing a hill and at the top you begin to walk back down it? That’s what is known as a floor with a crown or crowning floors.
The defect of crowning floors is more often than not causes by the failure of the foundation system. This failure could be caused by weather over the years that’s found it the characteristic of certain soil types. Adobe being the most common type, which expand and contract during different seasons of the year. Please read my post on types of soils for further details.
Another cause for failure of the foundation system is from improper gutter and downspout system of the roof. If you allow the winter rains to drip on the ground from the roof line you are going to get excess of water on the ground, which will seep, (hydrology) under the foundation and causes it to sink and possibly crack.
Finally, being in California we have earthquakes. Some are big, most are small and happen with little notice. It is these small earthquakes whose force is strong enough to crack a concrete foundation over time. These cracks are sometimes called hair-line cracks.
The effect of the three causes listed above is what usually leads to the crowning of the floors in a home.
If you are in the market to purchase a home and you find a home you want to buy if you feel the floors crowning and/or sloping make sure you ask for a foundation inspection report to protect yourself. Sometimes in a pier and post foundation some posts may have fallen over and requires them tipped right side up to fix a crowning or slopped floor.
At SF Bay Homes we are on the look-out for defects of a house the minute we walk into it. We naturally do this to protect our clients. Because it is our job to bring crowning floors or ones that slope to our clients attention to protect them. We will do this for you too when you decide to work with us. Give us a call today and let us help you make the right decision on the biggest purchase you may make in your life.
