Top 3 Reasons Why Your Kitchen Floor Is Raised

Curious about your elevated kitchen floor? Discover the top reasons why kitchens have bumps or a floor higher than other rooms.

When a kitchen floor is raised it can be a part of the original design of the house, water damage or problems with the home’s foundation.

A raised kitchen floor can be a concern if you do not like the look or the bumps seem odd. Find out when an elevated floor is normal and when it could be a sign of a more serious problem.

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The 3 Most Common Causes For A Raised Kitchen Floor

Today, we will look at the trio most responsible for raised kitchen floors. One is totally normal and should not be a reason for concern. The other two, however, point to bigger problems and we will cover your options in-depth.

Here are the top 3 reasons:

1. The floor is higher because it was designed that way.
2. Water damage.
3. The home’s foundation is settling.

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Some Kitchen Floors Are Designed To Be Higher Than Other Floors

You do not need any guidance to know if this is the case in your home. It is pretty obvious when a kitchen floor is meant to be higher by design. A small ramp might connect it to the lower living room floor and there is clearly no damage to the tiles or hardwood that might indicate trouble. Nope. Somebody before you just wanted an elevated kitchen floor and included it in the home’s design.

But I Don’t Like It. What Can I Do?

One can always renovate the home and lower the kitchen floor. But this involves a major overhaul that might not be worth the costs in the end. The entire floor would need to be ripped up, the joists lowered, and a new floor installed. The doors and windows of the kitchen will also now be too high unless you spend the money to have them corrected as well.

That being said, if you have your heart set on lowering the kitchen floor, go for it! Pick your dream flooring, whether it is mind-blowing marble or old-school vinyl, and set to work!

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How Water Damage Can Raise Your Kitchen Floor

This problem is common with wooden floors in the kitchen. Unfortunately, wooden floors are popular choices for this part of the home but this is also the one place (except for the bathroom), where there is a lot of water. Wood and water do not mix so well. When a wooden floor is exposed to a spill or too much water during cleaning, the result is usually swelling that pushes the wooden floorboards upwards.

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How Do I Recognise Water Damage In My Kitchen?

• Some of the boards creak or squeak when you step on them.
• The floor has moist areas.
• The kitchen or floor has a musty odour.
• You find mildew or mould on the wood.
• The floor has clear signs of rotting wood.
• Your kitchen has a leaking problem with the pipes or appliances. (Here are all the reasons why your kettle is leakingand how to fix it).
• You tend to use water when you clean your wooden floors.
• The floor gets dirty faster than normal (extra moisture attracts fine debris like dust).

If you see any of these signs, then your raised floorboards might have a degree of water damage. Let’s see how you can prevent water damage in the first place and also how to fix water damage if your kitchen is already affected by it.

How Do I Prevent Water Damage From Harming My Kitchen Floor?

As we mentioned a little earlier, you work with a lot of water in the kitchen. You do the dishes, boil the kettle, cook food on the stove, and even do the laundry. Most kitchen floors are designed to weather this watery environment but wooden flooring remains vulnerable.

Here are the top tips to prevent water from causing unsightly and costly damage.

• When you spill water on the floor, dry the area immediately. Depending on the nature of the wood, make sure that the spot dries completely. Use a floor fan if necessary.
• Keep your kitchen plumbing in good order. One of the most common problems is a leak under the kitchen sink. Sometimes, the leak is small enough to go unnoticed but it can seep into the wood and eventually pool underneath the flooring and cause warping, raised boards, and rotting. (Does your kitchen smell bad? Here are the top reasons why your kitchen smells like rotten eggs and how to fix it).
• You can also keep your washing machine and dryer in excellent condition. Should one of these appliances flood your kitchen, the damage can be immense.
• Keep the humidity in your kitchen low. High humidity can deposit a film of moisture on floors and walls.

READ NEXT: 3 Ways to fix a bouncy kitchen floor.

How Do I Fix A Floor With Water Damage?

This depends on the level of damage. If you are certain that your floor has water damage, do not hesitate to get the opinion of an expert. A good company can quickly determine how bad the damage is and what needs to be done.

The Home’s Foundation Is Settling

“Settling” is considered to be a normal part of the construction process. Well, to be more precise, settling happens after a home is built. The new house takes a while to settle its foundations into the soil. This can cause the building to creak but most of the time, the phenomenon is not serious. When “settling” progresses normally, the creaking and soil settlement eventually stops.

What Happens When Settling Is Abnormal?

Abnormal settling happens when the process does not stop or cause major damage (for some reason). Here are the most common signs that you are dealing with this problem.

• You notice cracks around door or window frames.
• One or more floors in the house have raised areas.
• The floor can also sag in one or several places.
• There are cracks running along the floor and walls.
• Doors or windows get stuck or cannot close properly.
• There might even be gaps between doors and frames.
• The basement or crawl space has a lot of damp.
• Cracks are running along the foundation of the home.

How Do I Fix An Abnormal Foundation?

Once you realize that you might have a foundation problem, you need to act fast. The longer you wait, the more damage and repair costs will pile up. A professional company can assess your foundation and discuss options with you. An abnormal settling event does not mean that your home is a lost cause. But ignoring it could reduce the value of the house and even making it a dangerous place to live in the long run.

READ NEXT: 4 Reasons why kitchen floors are sticky after mopping.

A Quick Summary On Why Kitchen Floors Are Raised

• A raised floor can be harmless or the sign of a serious problem.
• Some floors are designed to be elevated and are no cause for concern.
• Water damage and problems with the foundations are two examples of raised floors that need to be checked by a professional.

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