Let’s say that you see your child’s ball rolling across the living room floor towards the wall – seemingly on its own. Most likely, it’s not the action of a poltergeist, but simply the result of a floor that sags towards the interior wall. It’s not unusual for some sagging of the floor to occur in older houses as they settle over the years. However, a very pronounced sag may mean that you have a problem with the center support beam in the basement, or with the columns holding up that beam.

Depending on the age of your house, the support beam may be a solid piece of wood, a laminated beam made from 2”x12” planks, or a steel I-beam. You will usually find it near the middle of the basement, supporting the floor joists.  (Read more….)