House restumping is a major undertaking that should always be handled by a professional firm of contractors. But how do you know if your home could need restumping, and what are the danger signs you should look out for? Read on to find out more.
When does a property need restumping?
Restumping involves replacing the stumps in a home that has a stump subfloor. It's usually necessary if the existing house stumps are no longer stable as a result of subsidence, or where wooden stumps have become damaged due to rot or termite activity. If restumping is necessary but isn't carried out, the property, or parts of it, could collapse entirely.
If you are considering undertaking major renovation work on an older property, it's a good idea to have it restumped as part of the building work. This removes the risk of the existing stumps becoming weakened or put under strain as the structure of the house is altered.
There are a number of signs to look out for that may indicate that your home needs restumping. These warning signals include the following:
All the above signs occur because the stumps have dropped and are no longer supporting the house evenly.
Wooden stumps
These days, wooden stumps are rarely used because of their vulnerability to damage by water and wood-eating insects like termites. Replacement stumps are usually made of concrete or galvanised steel because of their greater strength and durability and their termite resistant properties. Steel stumps are also adjustable on site, which makes the construction process considerably quicker.
If you have an older home that has wood stumps, you should make it a regular part of your home maintenance routine to check their condition. You'll need to dig down a few centimetres into the ground next to the stump and then scratch at its base. If the wood comes away easily, this indicates that the stump is damaged and needs replacement before it drops altogether and fails to support the floor above.
High water marks will indicate where damp has penetrated deep into the wood and risen up the stump, leaving it rotten below ground. If more than one or two of the stumps are indicating damage, you should have them all replaced.
In conclusion
Restumping is a costly and disruptive project that should not be undertaken lightly. However, if your home is showing any of the potential problem indicators mentioned above, always ask a qualified and experienced contractor to carry out an inspection of the stumps for you, and if necessary, have the work carried out without delay.
Share18 November 2015
My yard is in the shade of both of my neighbour's homes for most of the day which makes it quite hard to grow some of my favourite plants. Even though the yard is shady I still want it to have some nice look ground cover and be a cool place to entertain people. I have used a combination of shade resistant plants and pavers to create a lovely space that is good for entertaining all year round. This blog has some tips on creating a pleasant atmosphere in your shady backyard, particularly if you have a yard that is too shady to grow many kinds of plants.