Girder and Beam Replacement Under Your Floor
Renewing the main beam that carries your floor joists to the piers.
What Girder and Beam Replacement Is and When It Is the Right Call
How does a girder fail? Moisture is the usual cause. A girder sits low in the crawl space, close to damp soil, and its bottom edge and the ends resting on the piers take on water. Decay starts there. Some girders were never large enough for the span they were asked to carry, or a pier under them has settled or been undermined by water moving through the crawl space, so the beam sags between supports. Upstairs, the result is a floor that slopes toward the middle of the house and doors that swing on their own.
Replacement is the right call when the beam has lost enough wood that it cannot be relied on, when the sag is in the girder itself rather than the joists above it, or when the beam is undersized and adding supports under it would mean a post every few feet. Where the girder is sound but a pier has failed, the better repair is often to leave the beam and put an adjustable steel support on a new footing under it. The inspection sorts out which of these you have.
The work runs in a set order. Temporary beams and adjustable supports are set on both sides of the girder to carry the joists. The load is taken up gradually. The old girder is cut into sections and removed, and the piers are checked and repaired or supplemented with new footings. The new beam, built up lumber or a steel I beam sized for the span, is set on the piers with proper bearing, the joists are fastened to it, and the shoring is released a little at a time.
Expect us to be honest about how flat the floor above will end up. A floor that has sagged for years comes up gradually and may not return all the way. Expect the moisture question too. A new girder over wet ground will follow the old one, which is why this repair is done first and drainage, vapor barrier and dehumidification follow it.
How We Replace a Girder or Beam
Confirm the girder is the cause
We check whether the sag lives in the girder, the piers under it or the joists above it, because each points to a different repair. The beam is probed along its length and especially at the pier bearings, where decay usually starts.
Shore the joists on both sides
Temporary beams on adjustable steel supports are set parallel to the girder on each side, close enough to carry the joist ends. Load is transferred gradually until the old girder is carrying nothing.
Remove the old beam and check the piers
The girder is cut into sections and taken out. Each pier is checked for loose masonry, settlement and washout, and any pier that cannot carry the new beam is repaired or backed up with a steel support on a new footing.
Set the new girder
A built up lumber beam or a steel I beam sized for the span is set on the piers with solid bearing at each one. Bearing plates or treated blocking are used where the beam meets masonry so wood is not sitting directly on damp block.
Fasten the joists and release the shoring
Each joist is fastened to the new beam, and the temporary supports are lowered slowly so the load moves onto the girder without shock. We check the floor above and record the pier and footing work for the moisture correction that follows.
A Local, Family Owned Team in South Hill
Rozier is a family owned, faith-driven company based in South Hill. Because moisture is what invites termites and rodents in the first place, real prevention starts below the surface.
We treat the infestation and correct the moisture conditions that caused it, instead of handing you to a second contractor.
Each home we visit is assessed through a pest lens and a moisture lens, because underneath a house they are the same problem.
We do not arrive with a predetermined treatment and a timer running. What we propose follows from what we find.
Children, pets and sensitive family members are part of the decision about what gets used and how it is applied.
Answers to Common Questions About Girder and Beam Replacement
Don't see your question here? Our team is happy to help. Reach out anytime.
Common Signs of Crawl Space Problems
These are some of the warning signs that can lead to a crawl space inspection. The right repair depends on what the inspection finds.
Sagging or Bouncing Floors
A floor that gives underfoot is describing the condition of the wood and supports beneath it.
Learn more
Musty Odors in the House
The smell you cannot find in any room is usually coming from the space under all of them.
Learn more
Standing Water in the Crawl Space
Water pooled under the house is the ground telling you it cannot hold what the weather gave it.
Learn moreOther Crawl Space Repair Solutions We Use
Each method is matched to what the inspection finds at your property. These are the others we use for the same kind of problem.
Controlling Crawl Space Moisture
Water first, then vapor, then air. Each step only works once the one before it is done.
Learn more
Insulated Crawl Space Door
The last opening into a sealed crawl space, built to close tight.
Learn more
Crawl Space Drainage System
French drain material along the footing, sloped to a sump pump, so water has somewhere to go.
Learn more
Adjustable Steel Support Jacks
Steel posts on proper footings that carry a beam or girder where the framing spans too far.
Learn more
Reducing Pests in the Crawl Space
Fewer ways in, less to eat and drink, and treatment for what is already there.
Learn more
Sill Plate and Band Board Replacement
Renewing the wood where the floor system meets the foundation wall.
Learn moreProudly Serving Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina
Rooted in South Hill, we work across both states with the responsiveness of a local team. If your town is not listed, call us. There is a good chance we are already there.
Protection in Three Straightforward Steps
No confusing plans and no pressure. Here is exactly how we get your home protected.
Call for a free estimate.
One quick call and we schedule a visit at a time that suits you, at no cost and with no obligation to go ahead.
Get a plan built for your home.
We inspect above and below the surface, explain plainly what we found, and recommend only what your property actually needs.
We handle the work.
Our team carries out the treatment or the repair, and tells you what to expect afterwards and when we will be back.
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