Rising Basement Floors

Water Pressing up Underneath the Floor
In cases such as this, there can be an extremely high amount of pressure pushing upwards on the basement floor from the water that actually lifts the floor upwards. In one case, the homeowner drilled a hole in this floor, and water shot upwards through the hole to hit the ceiling!

If this is the problem, then it's time to consider installing a sump pump and drainage system in your home, as a basement flood through the walls, floor, or wall/floor joist is likely the next step. Click here to learn more about wet basement repair.

Sinking Foundations and Rising Floors

A basement floor can also be pushed upwards as the foundation sinks- this is known in the foundation repair industry as the "heave of the slab". Weak bearing soils or drying soils may be unable to support the weight of the home yet be strong enough to push upwards on the foundation floor with enough force to push it upwards

Replacing the slab is one existing method for repair. However, if you merely replace the failing floor with a new one without addressing the problem, you face the possibility having to deal with the same rising floor in the future. A better solution would be to replace the slab with a structural slab, which is much stronger and serves as part of the foundation. However, the cost of this work is extremely expensive, and many homeowners consider the cost to be more than the value of the repair. It's best to meet with a foundation expert and get a written estimate on the foundation repair cost to assess whether a repair like this is worth it for your home.

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