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As homes age, their structure may seem to be less sturdy. It might appear as if one or more walls slightly tilt, or the floors may feel uneven as you walk across them. One of the biggest reasons for an uneven floor is foundation problems. Here are some things to check as you look for possible causes in the home’s foundation.
Termites
Although you can’t always find termite evidence in your home’s structure, they can burrow into the basement beams and elsewhere in your house. In time, the damage becomes apparent, but by then, repair costs might be significant. Schedule a pest inspection that will look for termites as well as carpenter ants and other damaging insects. Left untreated, termites can burrow into the floor joists and leave gaps and openings in your home’s floors.
Rodents
Mice, rats, and larger wildlife like possums or raccoons can dig into the foundation of your house and cause serious damage. Once they get inside, they may chew up wood beams and floor joists to make nests for their young. Usually, you can hear them gnawing and moving around. But in a large home or if you are frequently absent, you might not become aware of their presence. Check around the foundation of your home and inspect the basement for signs of these invaders, as they can cause substantial problems that will impact the floors and more.
Shifting Ground
If you live on a hillside or slope, or if the ground around your house has drifted toward the foundation, moisture from rain, snow, and melting ice can seep into the foundation to cause cracks and gaps. An aging home can also start to tilt or lean on the foundation depending on wind currents and soil erosion. Deteriorating wood and concrete structures connected to the foundation may break down to the point that your floors will shift and become uneven.
Professional Evaluation
To find out for sure what is causing your home’s floors to feel uneven, contact a professional building foundation repair company for help. Someone will come out and examine the foundation both inside and outside to look for possible causes of the floor problem. If an issue is found, the expert will provide an estimate of the cost for repair.
Don’t neglect floors that are sagging or tilting even slightly. The longer you wait, the more expensive a repair will be. Find out if your home’s foundation is causing the problem and have it fixed immediately.
