Will Joist Damage Go Away Over Time?

It can be tempting to wish joist damage away. Unfortunately, the problems you’re having with your crawl space aren’t going to disappear over time. In fact, the longer you let this kind of damage sit, the more likely it is that it will grow worse, not to mention more expensive to repair. 

The Dangers of Ignoring Crawl Space Damage 

Under ideal circumstances, the damage that plagues your crawl space would disappear over time. This, unfortunately, is not the case. The longer you let moisture sit in your crawl space, the worse the damage you’re contending with is likely to become. 

Your floor joists suffer just like the rest of the structural supports in your home. When exposed to moisture in the long term, your joists can not only weaken but separate from one another entirely. Even if you can’t see a joist dislodge from its peers, the signs will reveal themselves in the upper levels of your home. Floors without their joists tend to be bouncy or to make unusual amounts of noise when you walk across them. If you find yourself dealing with these kinds of problems, you’ll want to reach out to area professionals for an inspection as soon as you can, or else the damage will only have additional time to worsen. 

Long-Term Crawl Space Damage and Your Home’s Value 

Damaged floor joists do more than bring the integrity of your floors into question. They can also lower the overall value of your property, especially if you fail to repair them. 

You have the option, of course, to list a home that’s actively suffering from crawl space damage, including damaged floor joists. You will have to note any existing damage in your listing, however. Potential buyers may still come out to your property, but there will be no hiding the damage in your home from them. Instead, you may have to compromise on your home’s market price. Homeowners who fail to address damage in their crawl spaces, including failing or over spanned joists, can lose up to 30 percent of their home’s market value, as potential buyers will want compensation for their future restorative efforts.