While there may be some home repairs you can put off for an extended time, problems associated with your home’s foundation require your immediate attention. When foundation issues are allowed to go unchecked, the results can be devastating for your home’s structure. If you’re curious about detecting and fixing common foundation problems, here are some tips you’ll want to remember.
Wall and Floor Cracks
In many instances, the first signs of your home’s foundation needing repairs will be cracks in the floor and walls. You will often notice cracks outside your foundation that resemble a staircase. When you see this, it indicates water seeping into the walls and gradually eroding the foundation. To fix this problem, the dirt around your foundation needs to be altered so that it slopes away from your home, which will let rainwater run downhill rather than accumulate around your foundation.
Warped Ceilings and Floors
Your home’s ceilings and floors should never show signs of warping. If they do, you will need foundation repair. Warping in these areas of your house indicates the structure is compressing, which may be caused by shifting, sinking, or rotting beams. Since major repairs will be necessary, you must call on foundation repair experts who can use specialized repair techniques on your home, which may include lifting the foundation itself to be better stabilized.
Doors and Windows Sticking
Should you notice your home’s doors and windows are getting harder to open and close, this can be a sign of foundation issues. To detect this problem, look around your window and door frames to see if there is space that should not exist. If so, this indicates your foundation is shifting, and the doors and windows are now out of alignment. While you can get your doors and windows realigned, failing to address the basic foundation problem will mean the problem will occur again in a short period.
Along with these signs of foundation problems, pay attention to musty smells in your basement, a chimney that appears to be leaning, and cabinets and counters that look to be separating from the walls. If you notice these indications of foundation problems, it’s time to call in the experts for an estimate and subsequent repairs. By doing so, you’ll gain peace of mind and save your home from sustaining further damage.
