CAN I ADJUST A TELEPOST MYSELF?

How to Adjust a Telepost

Adjusting a telepost (also known as a jackpost or screw jack) is a critical task.

It’s usually done to level sagging floors, but because you are dealing with the structural load of a house, doing it too fast can crack drywall, jam doors, or cause structural damage.

The golden rule of adjusting a telepost is patience. You are moving a house, and the house needs time to settle and adjust to its new position.

VINYL SIDING

STONE SIDING

STEP ONE

Establish a Baseline

Before any adjustment begins, you must determine exactly how much the structure needs to move. This step is about precision measurement.

Use a professional self-leveling laser to project a reference line. This established line allows you to measure the exact distance to the sagging beam using a tape measure. Log this baseline measurement. It is your only reference for tracking progress in increments as small as 1/16 of an inch.

Step 1 of adjusting a telepost yourself.

STEP TWO

Check for Stability

Before any adjustment begins, you must determine exactly how much the structure needs to move. This step is about precision measurement.

Use a professional self-leveling laser to project a reference line. This established line allows you to measure the exact distance to the sagging beam using a tape measure. Log this baseline measurement. It is your only reference for tracking progress in increments as small as 1/16 of an inch.

STEP THREE

Turn the Adjustment Nut

Before any adjustment begins, you must determine exactly how much the structure needs to move. This step is about precision measurement.

Use a professional self-leveling laser to project a reference line. This established line allows you to measure the exact distance to the sagging beam using a tape measure. Log this baseline measurement. It is your only reference for tracking progress in increments as small as 1/16 of an inch.

STEP FOUR

Enforce the Settling Period

Before any adjustment begins, you must determine exactly how much the structure needs to move. This step is about precision measurement.

Use a professional self-leveling laser to project a reference line. This established line allows you to measure the exact distance to the sagging beam using a tape measure. Log this baseline measurement. It is your only reference for tracking progress in increments as small as 1/16 of an inch.

STEP FIVE

Monitor the Living Space

During the settling period, you must actively observe the living spaces above. While the telepost is in the basement, the symptoms are upstairs.

Walk the floors to check their feel, but specifically check interior doors. A sticking door that now swings freely is a sign of progress. Conversely, if a door starts binding, or if you notice new hairline cracks (subtly indicated by the stress lines in the drywall), your wait time must be extended. Listen for small pops and groans from the framing.

STEP SIX

Repeat Until Level

The adjustment process is a cycle of action and observation. After the 7-day wait (Step 4) and positive observation (Step 5), you return to the basement to repeat the 1/4 turn (Step 3).

This final graphic shows the culmination. The laser reference line, which was originally below the mark, now aligns perfectly with the target measurement on the tape. The task is only complete when your laser measurements confirm the structural beam has returned to its designed elevation.