My son has purchased a house probably dating about 1950's and his floor is high in the centre and low by the exterior walls. Is it possible to adjust the teleposts by lowering them to adjust the high part of the floor to make it more level.
He was told that he shouldn't do this but we figured if he just turned it a half turn each time and let it adjust in between times.
Some advice would be helpful.
Hello,
This is Bob Place of Bob Place General Repair. There is many things to cosider before you start this levelling. Check the tsntion on plumbing, heat ducts, wiring, gas lines etc. Only then if there is play lower one turn per day until desired level.
I hope this will help you. Be careful and good luck.
Bob
Adjusting teleposts is not that difficult, but can cause major damage if not done in a proper way.
Debra where is the house located? I have seen many uneven floors. If you look down the beam and it is straight then you need not adjust that. Be honest I need to see the job. It could be the beam, foundation or even floor joists.
Hi Debora,
My suggestion would be to consult with a professional when it comes to involving any issues with structure of a home. If the contractor is experienced in this area they can guide you through the Pro's and Con's of such a project.
Jacking and lowering main support beams in a home is modifying the structure and is not something that should be taken lightly, done incorrectly could inevitably cause substantial problems.
I was in a home last year where the new homeowner had recently purchased a 1920's two and a half story home.
Dealing with the same uneven floor issue the home owner and a friend of his decided they would take this on as a weekend DIY project.
After they were somewhat successful in levelling up the main floor I was brought in to have a look at fixing a wealth of problems that they created. Upon my arrival they had a plumbing leak on the second floor, they developed a massive cracks in the lathe and plaster in almost every room, developed major cracks in the plaster crowns in a dining room and adjoining living room, in one room the crack spanned 18' on a diagonal from the ceiling in one corner to the floor in the opposite corner.
However the biggest problem was that they virtually could not open or close any doors on the second and third floor level of the home, and what doors they could open tended to bottom out on the floors after certain points of opening.
Just food for thought, there are so many reason as to what created the problem in the first place so it takes careful consideration and knowledge to figure out the best practice moving forward.
Hope this provided you with some valuable insight.
Kind regards,
Brandon Hottot
I know this is a bit late to give you advice, but for others, it is a good idea to consult a Structural Engineer and pay a bit up front to avoid the problems you see above. The actual joists could even crack and break if this is done incorrectly.
Blair Lowe P.Eng.
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