As necessary as crawl spaces in houses are, they become a huge nuisance when they start sinking from a section. It could be due to a sagging floor joist too, but the fix is the same for both situations. You will need to install a floor jack in that crawl space area, which is not a slice of cake.
Fitting yourself inside the crawl space in itself is a difficult task, let alone fitting your floor jack in there for installation. However, if you follow a couple of guidelines and precautions, then you will be able to do this tedious job and install your floor jack in the crawl space with so much ease.
For me, the tedious part of the job was not fitting and installing the floor jack, it was finding appropriate instructions. Therefore, everything that worked for me has been shared in the article down below so that you do not repeat my mistakes. Therefore, give a thorough read to the article below to find out how to get done with this job.
How To Install Floor Jacks In Crawl Space
By following the steps shared below, you will be able to install a floor jack in the crawl space of your house.
What You Need
Installing your floor jacks in the crawl space is a task that can not be done without a few basic tools. For a flawless and error-free job, you are going to need your floor jacks, jack stands, wrench, and screwdriver. You will also need a measuring tape, flashlight, and a helmet for safety reasons. Before we dive into the process, it is best if you collect all of these tools and place them near you.
Step 1
In order to install your floor jack in the crawl space area of your house, wear the helmet and attach the flashlight either to the shoulders or the helmet. This way, you will be able to see clearly without having your hands occupied. Now we get to the technical part. Now take your measuring tape and measure the area from the ground to the bottom of the floor joists. Measure from the point that has sagging because that is the point where we need to install the floor jack.
Step 2
After you have taken the measurements from the sides as well as the sagging area, take your floor jack and slide it under the area of installation. Make sure that you remove any pebbles or other items littering the ground before placing your floor jack on the ground.
Step 3
Once you have a clean area, place your floor jack in its position. Take your wrench and start lifting the floor jack little by little. Make sure not to lift it in a single twist, as that can be very damaging to the floor jack as well as the floor joists. Give the machine small twists to lift it slowly.
Step 4
Once the top of the floor jack comes into contact with the floor joists, then you need to start lifting more carefully, as you are lifting the floor joists now. Once you are satisfied with the height of the floor jack, leave the machine in its place. Measure the sides of the floor joists and then from the area of installation to make sure that the distance from the floor to the joists is the same. Now move to the second floor jack and repeat the same procedure. Make sure not to place the floor jacks right next to each other. There should be some distance between the two machines, a minimum of 5 feet at least.
Step 5
You can also use a singular floor jack and multiple jack stands. Take the jack stand and place it a few feet away from the floor jack. The minimum distance should be 5 feet and the maximum should be 6 feet. Take the screws and the screwdriver and screw the top of the jack stand to the bottom of the floor joists. If you are using more than one jack stand, then repeat the same steps with the rest of them too.
Conclusion
Installing your floor jacks in the crawl space sounds like a nightmare. However, as horrifying as this task seems, it is also quite an important one, so there is no avoiding it. Lucky for you, the entire procedure has been shared in the article above in very easy steps.
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