Signs of Trouble? Sloped and Cupped Floors

The floors in a home can be a great source of information about a home. Hardwoods in particular can provide "tells" of possible past and/or present issue. Sloped and cupped floors might be signs of hidden issues. Moisture, settling, and even the overall care given to the home can be revealed by the condition of the floors. Below are two videos which are great examples of what to look for, and if spotted, to investigate much further.

There are clear flashing lights to me on that home. Significant cupping and warping like that indicates moisture levels that are higher than desired. Could be a number of reasons, but that situation absolutely warrants additional investigation by flooring folks.

Deflection like that could be due to a number of things. We've seen homes that have twisted joists or floors that were simply not fully level when built. Prefinished floors or laminates over a sub-floor may not be level due to either the structure or the underlayment. On slabs, if the sub-floor isn't "floated" or "leveled" dead spots and wavy floors can result. Of course this can indicate foundation or structural concerns, but the key is to consider all possibilities and bring in the experts as/if required.

We always walk a home with a jaundice eye, over thirty years and thousands of homes have built a pretty good base for catching potential issues. We're not experts in every field and that's why we rely on our network of pros to work closely with our clients. As always, please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Tags

• foundation issues (2)
• uneven floors (1)