Why Is My Floor Uneven?

There are several potential reasons as to why your property’s concrete floors could be uneven. Identifying the contributing factors can be fairly complicated, but there are some simple signs that you can look for to help you get an idea of what’s going on. First, consider whether the floor is tilted consistently from one side of the room to the next, or whether it has inconsistent dips and depressions. If the tilt is even, it is most likely being caused by subsidence; if there are inconsistent dips, you may be dealing with settlement or sunken concrete slabs.  

• Subsidence  

If you have an even tilt across the whole of your flooring, you are most likely looking at a problem such as subsidence. Caused by oversaturation in the soil, subsidence is the sinking of your property foundation (usually in an uneven manner). This can lead to many issues from uneven floors to cracks, and even more serious problems like bowed walls.  

If a professional determines that subsidence is the main cause of your uneven flooring, you will most likely be looking at pier installation to rectify the issue. However, you may also have inconsistently depressed sections of flooring. This can be caused by cracking and damage to your foundation as a result of increased pressure on certain points as your property sinks. In these cases, more than one repair method may be suggested.  

• Settlement  

Settlement is most commonly caused by excessive soil dehydration. Certain kinds of soil can shrink dramatically when they become dehydrated. When this happens, large chasms can open up in the soil, leaving sections of your foundation unsupported. One of the main results of this is the ‘settling’ of some parts of your foundation and flooring into the space left behind.  

This has many implications for your property as a whole, but one of the most consistent and insidious co-occurring issues that comes with settlement is dampness. Once cracks open in your flooring, dampness will inevitably seep up into your home. This can lead to mold and mildew formation and increased humidity in your home, and cause musty odors to take root.