Basement Supports
This is a video on home made basement supports. I could not resist the chance to post this.
In new homes basements have steel supports that should be anchored or bolts to the concrete floor and secured on the top to wood joist with bolts. The bolts should have washer at least a half inch around on each side. Basement issues in new homes that are built and inspected to code are seldom a problem in home inspections.
Older homes that have settled and have had structural changes often are problems. First support joist often gets cut and proper supports are not added. This will cause floors to sag and could lead to s structural failure. Basement supports are often installed by homeowners or unskilled contractors that may not be aware of the requirements to install load bearing supports. The first step to properly installing a new load bearing support is to bolt the support to the floor, using proper gauge bolts with washers. The bolt need to be drilled into the concrete. The second step is to properly secure the floor joist to the supporting column with bolts at least a half an inch in diameter with washer on each end. Following these steps will allow the bolts to remain secure for years to come and properly install the post without the need to rework it in the future.
When purchasing a home also hire a skilled inspector such has Gold Home Inspection, LLC.