LD1
Epic Contributor
Long story...
I have a 3-unit rental over top of a concrete crawl space.
The hot water heaters all have the T&P valve piped down to a PVC floor drain that goes into the crawl space, makes a 90, goes over 4', then 90's down to a floor drain.
One unit had the T&P valve fail. And they didnt catch it. Best guess is it was leaking for 4-6weeks. Well at some point, the steam/water softened the subfloor that the drain pipe was screwed to and it broke loose out of the floor, resulting in hot steamy water must dumping into the open crawl space. When I got their to replace the T&P, it was flowing at probably 50%-kitchen sink rate. Which is alot.
Nothing flooded in the crawl space, due to floor drains, but that hot steamy water had everything at 100% moisture. It was literally RAINING from the subfloor and joists.
No moisture percolated to the above flooring, because its all laminate or tile and grout. And the laminate has the vapor barrier under it.
Confirmed this when the company the insurance had out there to dry everything took readings of subfloor below, and above. Laminate flooring was under 10%, but all subfloor was 99-100%
Well, that was last month. Everything is dry, and adjuster was out last week to assess the damage. Decided to have an engineer come out to determine exactly what subfloor needs replaced, and what is still good.
Now my question......is there any way to make a satisfactory repair from below? Given that everything is either tile and grout or laminate, repairing from topside is already gonna be a big project. Then factor in that its a 3-unit rental, displacing 3 tenants, etc.
So a couple of ideas that I have kicked around....given that the OSB is now DRY and we wouldnt be trapping any moisture....what about what about cutting strips of subfloor to fit BETWEEN the floor joists, pressing up tight to the "rotten" subfloor, and sistering the existing joists with some 2x4's See pic: Black is existing joists and subfloor, red would be added.
OR another idea....what about a structural closed cell foam sprayed underneath in the effected areas?
Im torn on this. I want to be as minimally invasive as possible, and not have to displace tennants, and make the most cost effective repair. But also want this done right since this is an insurance job.
Obviously I am gonna have to go with whatever the insurance company and engineer decide to do, but just thinking outside the box....wondering if there is an "approved" way of fixing rotten subfloor from beneath.
I have a 3-unit rental over top of a concrete crawl space.
The hot water heaters all have the T&P valve piped down to a PVC floor drain that goes into the crawl space, makes a 90, goes over 4', then 90's down to a floor drain.
One unit had the T&P valve fail. And they didnt catch it. Best guess is it was leaking for 4-6weeks. Well at some point, the steam/water softened the subfloor that the drain pipe was screwed to and it broke loose out of the floor, resulting in hot steamy water must dumping into the open crawl space. When I got their to replace the T&P, it was flowing at probably 50%-kitchen sink rate. Which is alot.
Nothing flooded in the crawl space, due to floor drains, but that hot steamy water had everything at 100% moisture. It was literally RAINING from the subfloor and joists.
No moisture percolated to the above flooring, because its all laminate or tile and grout. And the laminate has the vapor barrier under it.
Confirmed this when the company the insurance had out there to dry everything took readings of subfloor below, and above. Laminate flooring was under 10%, but all subfloor was 99-100%
Well, that was last month. Everything is dry, and adjuster was out last week to assess the damage. Decided to have an engineer come out to determine exactly what subfloor needs replaced, and what is still good.
Now my question......is there any way to make a satisfactory repair from below? Given that everything is either tile and grout or laminate, repairing from topside is already gonna be a big project. Then factor in that its a 3-unit rental, displacing 3 tenants, etc.
So a couple of ideas that I have kicked around....given that the OSB is now DRY and we wouldnt be trapping any moisture....what about what about cutting strips of subfloor to fit BETWEEN the floor joists, pressing up tight to the "rotten" subfloor, and sistering the existing joists with some 2x4's See pic: Black is existing joists and subfloor, red would be added.
OR another idea....what about a structural closed cell foam sprayed underneath in the effected areas?
Im torn on this. I want to be as minimally invasive as possible, and not have to displace tennants, and make the most cost effective repair. But also want this done right since this is an insurance job.
Obviously I am gonna have to go with whatever the insurance company and engineer decide to do, but just thinking outside the box....wondering if there is an "approved" way of fixing rotten subfloor from beneath.