Why Should I Worry About Floor and Wall Gaps?

While you might be able to temporarily fix the gaps themselves, this will not fix the underlying cause. It can also lead to many problems, including: 

• Collapsed Floors or Walls 

First and foremost, floor and wall gaps are a sign of serious structural instability and damage in your home; this alone should make you concerned. Of course, there are more specific problems that can occur when you ignore gaps forming between your floor and walls. One of the most severe potential outcomes of wall and floor gaps is the collapse of a section of flooring, ceiling, or wall as a result of a lack of support. 

This is very serious for your property, but it could be very dangerous to anyone in the vicinity of the collapse when it happens. A collapsing wall can be incredibly destructive, as can a collapsing ceiling, but falling through a weak section of floor is particularly dangerous because of the wiring and pipes that you may come into contact with as you do. 

• Increased Energy Bills 

If your basement or crawl space and attic are not insulated and waterproof, gaps between your floors, ceilings, and walls will allow drafts to circulate. This will lower the overall temperature of your home and make the climate of your property harder to control. As a result, your HVAC systems will have to work harder, thereby costing you more money. 

This can start as a very small increase to your energy usage and bills, but as the damage becomes more prominent, you will notice that you have to turn your heating and air conditioning up higher to get the same results. As such, the increase in costs can begin to grow at an alarming rate (as will the potential repair costs). 

• This Is an Escalating Problem 

If you do not address the underlying causes of these gaps, the problem is only likely to escalate and snowball until something serious, like a collapse, forces you to deal with it. This is the case with all structural problems; whether you are dealing with bowing walls or a sinking foundation, structural problems rarely stabilize alone and never resolve themselves without intervention. 

Calling in an expert to assess and repair damage quickly is imperative, because these issues only become more complex, and therefore costly, to repair as time goes by. As such, it is in your best interests to move quickly and ensure that you get the best possible solution the first time around. A local repair specialist will be able to do this for you.