Floor Joist Water Damage - Help With Your Insurance Claim

If you suffer a leak or flood in your home, you will find water damage in many different places including areas not immediately visible, such as to joists under the floor. In many cases, this can lead to structural damage, and so action needs to be taken fast.

As the UK's leading insurance claim experts, Oakleafe act fast to handle all aspects of a claim and to get your home back to its best.

What can cause water damage to joists

Floor joists in your home can suffer water damage following several different incidents. Whether this be after a major event like a flood, storm, or a hurricane, or from a burst pipe or a leak from a water heater, there is a chance that you will need your floor joists repaired.

How to tell if joists are water damaged

Sometimes it can be difficult to visibly tell if your floor joists have been damaged by water, and easier to identify by touching them. There though some obvious visual signs of water damaged floor joists:

• Crumbling: if the wood has started to crumble away then you will likely find that the damage has caused a wet rot. It may also feel soft and spongy and have a darker look to it.
• Sagging: when the wood is sinking or bending downwards due to the weight or pressure. These indicates significant damage that will need to be fixed.
• Discolouration: if the wood has changed or lost its colour then you will likely find mould or mildew.

If the wooden joists are rotten, then it is likely that you had a leak that went undetected a while ago. In this case, the structural integrity of your property will be severely compromised, and so extensive repairs will need to take place.

How to repair floor joists with water damage

Whether you repair or replace rotten joists will depend on the extent of the water damage and the effects of the damage.

One of the most common methods of fixing a floor joint is joint sistering. This is where an identical piece of wood is fastened to the existing floor joist, providing stronger support. If the water damage has impacted the structure, then the ideal solution would be to completely replace the floor joist.

Floor joist water damage insurance claims - get help from Oakleafe

Should you make a claim on your insurance because of the water damaged floor joist you will find yourself taking on the stress of the long claims process and getting your home repaired. With Oakleafe on your side, your whole claim will be taken care of, leaving you to focus on your family. We will handle all stages of a claim, including handling surveyors, contractors, and all meetings with the insurance company and their loss adjuster.