There are many signs that your damaged subfloor should be replaced with a new subfloor. These include squeaks and other noises, cupping or warping, cracked or popped tiles, sagging or unevenness, the smell of mold or mildew, or bubbling tile.
The most obvious is a spongy feel or “give” to the affected area. Other signs of water damage include warping in the floorboards of your hardwood floors, loose sections in your tile floor, bubbling or peeling in linoleum, lifting in your laminate flooring, or a musty smell that could indicate mold growth.
Signs may include loose flooring pieces or a floor that is undulating and uneven in areas. Wet or water-damaged subfloors that are structurally unstable can cause long-term problems with your home, and simply replacing the wood floor on top will not fix the problem.
unless the subfloor has extensive damage or rot there is no reason to replace it unless you need to cut into it to relocate plumbing fixtures etc.
Does homeowners insurance cover subfloor? In general, homeowners insurance covers subfloor water damage. However, it must be caused by one of the perils listed in your insurance policy.
Warping and cupping are tell-tale signs of a weak subfloor and may indicate water damage. Cupping means your floorboards have curls along the board's length, and it's caused by moisture. Warping means that the floorboards twist out of shape like an “S.” It is also often caused by water.
Taking all these factors into account, subfloor material costs can range from as low as $2.50 per square foot for plywood to as high as $10 per square foot for Amdry or Barricade.
There are many factors that can affect its longevity, such as the material, the amount of moisture it's exposed to, etc. However, most subfloors can last as long as the home itself. That said, you may have to replace your subflooring after 20 to 30 years if it has absorbed too much water too often.
Subfloor mold can appear as dark spots or patches beneath flooring materials like carpets, vinyl, or laminate. It often grows on plywood or OSB substrates, common since the 1950s. The presence of subfloor mold can be hinted at by a musty odor.
Given the complexity of subfloor repairs, you should really stick with a carpenter for this project. But if you want to install a new subfloor or underlayment over sound floor joists, hire a local flooring contractor for this step.
After the onset of flooding, it only takes 24 to 48 hours to cause significant damage. If left untreated, water can cause damage that can lead to bigger issues — like structural damage, mold growth, and damage to belongings.
Homeowners insurance generally covers water damage that's sudden and accidental. For example, if a pipe bursts or a washing machine overflows and damages your floor, you may be covered. But if the water comes from flooding, standard homeowners insurance typically won't cover it.
An uneven subfloor is most likely to be the culprit for that spongy feeling if the issue is not evenly distributed but confined to specific areas – particularly if you can rule out causes such as water damage if, for instance, the flooring is newly installed.
A wet subfloor doesn't always need to be replaced, but it must be thoroughly dried and assessed for damage. Use fans and dehumidifiers to dry it out. If the subfloor is swollen, warped, or has mold growth, replacement is necessary.
If your floors begin to feel spongy, springy or bouncy, or if you notice the floorboards around you shifting when you walk on them, it could mean that it's time to replace your subfloor.
Replacing subflooring is a relatively complicated task that requires precise measurements. You'll need to make sure all of the parts of your floor are structurally sound. That said, you don't always need to replace the entire subfloor. If only a portion is damaged, you can patch it.
Plywood is the most common subfloor and is a popular choice because of its strength, durability,and ease of installation. Plywood subfloors are made of layers of wood veneer that are then glued together. Plywood can be used with a variety of flooring materials.
Typically, wood joists have the cross section of a plank with the longer faces positioned vertically. However, engineered wood joists may have a cross section resembling the Roman capital letter "I"; these joists are referred to as I-joists.
Subfloors that have sustained repeated damage or where mitigation was delayed most often require replacement. If you suspect your subfloor has been damaged by water or moisture, have your home inspected by a restoration professional.
Generally, no. Insurance would cover a sudden loss event. A slow leak causing rot over an extended period of time is not a sudden loss event.
Signs of termite damage
If termites start to snack on your home's joists or subfloor, you might notice sagging floors — or hear them creak more than usual as you walk on them. Similarly, termites eating away at wall studs and ceiling beams could cause the ceilings and walls to buckle.
You have the top layer that is your floor covering (Hardwood, Laminate, Vinyl, Carpet, etc.), next you have the underlayment (usually a thin layer of fiber, foam, rubber), below that you have your subfloor (plywood, OSB, concrete), and lastly you have the joists which are the foundation to your floors.