I recently bought a home in September 2023, and I've noticed that my hallway floor sometimes bows, especially during the coldest weather here in the Pacific Northwest. The bow runs along the hallway, about 8 inches from the left wall. I've attached some pictures for reference. This issue seems more pronounced during colder days, but it has improved a bit since then. There wasn't any noticeable problem last winter or over the summer. The hallway is situated above the garage, and there are no walls beneath it to support it, but I haven't seen any issues with the ceilings below. I've never heard any creaking or cracking noises, and since I work from home, I'm usually aware of any sounds. Should I be concerned about the bowing, or is it just a settling issue influenced by temperature changes?
3 Answers
That's interesting! Houses rarely stay perfectly level due to changing temperatures and how materials behave. You might want to look under the house if you have a crawl space, or check for any changes over time. I’ve got a place that isn't level either, and it took a random stroller rolling away for me to notice!
From what I see, that bow doesn't look too serious compared to other homes I've been in. I’d probably just keep an eye on it. If it remains consistent, I think you can worry less. It's also common for floors to settle and shift, especially with temperature changes. Just monitor it a bit more before jumping to conclusions.
It sounds like your flooring may not have enough room to expand or contract properly. Different humidity levels can also affect how the flooring behaves. Just keep watching it; perhaps take notes on when it happens to figure out if there’s a pattern. But if it feels rock solid when you step on it, that’s another thing to think about!