You can’t see your subflooring, so it’s easy to forget it’s part of your home that at some point will need some attention. Damaged subflooring can cause damage to your flooring over time. The good news is that well installed and maintained subflooring will last many years without any issues.
A Few Warning Signs to Watch For
Uneven spots or places in the floor that feel bouncy are an indication that something’s going on under there that’s not quite right. Could be damage to the subflooring, or just a place where it needs to be re-secured to the joists.
Areas that seem to have too much give or feel spongy are concerning. This can be a sign that your subflooring has water damage. Anywhere there’s water you have to potential for mold, so this kind of concern should be addressed right away.
If you’ve noticed that your floors are squeaking or popping it’s probably time to have it checked out. This can happen a little bit due to normal settling or because of our wild weather swings. It’s not too concerning until it’s happening regularly.
How Do You Assess Possible Damage?
If you’re gearing up for a flooring renovation, you’re about to have the perfect opportunity to have a professional inspect your subfloors. When the old flooring is removed, we’re able to do a full assessment of your subfloors and identify any areas that need some work.
This is one of the reasons we recommend removal of existing flooring even if it is possible to install new flooring over it. Subfloor repairs are pretty painless this way! What you don’t want is to have to pull up new flooring to handle an issue with the subfloor that could have been repaired more economically when the floor was installed.
If you’re happy with your current flooring, but are concerned about some signs you’re seeing of possible subfloor damage it’s time to call in the pros. Give us a call – we can come take a look and go over the best next steps with you.
