On 4/21/2020 2:44 PM, Notsosunnystate wrote:
Hello! Im not sure what to really say, because Ive never posted here
before, but Im hoping anyone can help. Im renting an old house that was
built in the 1930s give or take, and it has mostly alllll original work.
Im trying to replace our carpet with laminate planks, and Ive come to an
issue in the livingroom. We have floor vents in every room, and in our
livingroom the wood floor under the carpet is buckling against the wall
by the
vent. Its about 3 feet long of a bump. I know you cant put hardwood,
laminate or anything like that over uneven flooring so I need to fix this
issue. My landlord isnt going to, so nobody please remind me that they
should. 😖 The wood thats buckling looks like tongue and groove, and I
know if you go in our basement and look up youd be looking directly at
floor joists & our subfloor which is planks- not solid sheets. I dont
think this is from water damage but Im not 100%. The kitchen sink is about
11 feet away, and the washing machine is about 11 feet away too (used to
be a
bathroom, now its a small laundry room). We dont have a fire place, but
theres what looks like a chimney on top of the house, and in the basement
theres what looks like a brick rectangle from the concrete floor through
the ceiling, and a bunch of HVAC vents/ducts and plumbing lines around it,
which is also right around where this bump is. I know, probably a lot of
useless information. Im just very lost about what to do. Anyway, Ill try
to put some pictures in to show what Im talking about. The wood floor
being
shown probably just has to be taken out and replaced. Its very dry and
broken looking. Some of the flooring in the house looks good but some
does not
(like this spot).* If anyone can tell me ANYTHING about this floor
please do.
Being an older out of date house its a little more confusing for me to
find
proper information. Id like to know how to even this out for laminate
plank
flooring, and just any information about this floor in general. What
kind it
might be, how to safely remove & replace since its around a
heating/cooling
duct. Im thinking I probably have to take that old wood out, and put down
new, then I can proceed with laminate on top. I think its tongue and
groove
but honestly do not know. I dont even know how it happened. ANYYYYY
information is helpful information 😅* Also I read something once about
black glue used back around the 1930s contained asbestos? Under the
carpets
foam pad is black mucky dry stuff, and parts of the carpet pad stick to it.
Pad is pretty dry and brittle. Our duct/vent looks to be nailed to the wood
flooring thats in question too. /The wood floor thats in question is a
light color that someone previously painted a purple/maroon color, and its
chipping away/ I wish they never ever tried to paint the floor because I
can
see in other areas the original color and its a pretty color. I also want
to mention in the basement theres no insulation. Its concrete walls &
floor. Theres a man made hole in the wall that leads to the other half of
the house but its not accessible right now. That side has pink insulation
on the ceiling.* The side of the house that IS accessible in the
basement is
just concrete, wood joists, plank subfloor, and a bunch of wires & copper
pipes & HVAC vents. And spiders. 😬
TL;DR: Floor is buckling by floor heating/cooling vent. Want to replace
carpet with laminate but the buckling makes it uneven. Want to know how
to fix
it and make it even without breaking anything important 😂
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/mj
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/mk
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/ml
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/mm
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/mn
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/mo
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/mp
I think you may be screwed. Looks like there can be some serious damage
there. I'd be looking for a safer place to live if your landlord does
not care.
You can probably takes some crap out and put other flat wood in place
put that is cosmetic and you may have structural problems.
Also, what are those wires? Are they for cable TV or current carrying?
Looks scary to me.