How to Tell If Your Home Has Foundation Problems
December 30, 2016
Your home would be nothing without its foundation. And this is why it is important to take good care of your foundation. Ignoring your home foundation problem will lead to the ocean waves washing away the sandcastle on the beach. So, now is the time to learn how to spot problems with your home’s foundation and fixed them before they turn into major problems.
Home foundation problem
Cracks In Walls
If your home has cracks in the walls, this can be an early warning sign that you have foundation problems. A crack the runs 45 degrees diagonally along the wall can be a reliable early warning system.
Sticking Doors and Windows
Do you have door and windows that are now hard to open and close? This is another sign that your home’s foundation has shifted. A home with doors and windows that would open and close smoothly when the house was first built that has slowly degraded into them sticking as the home ages is never a fun endeavor. Furthermore, this is proof that the foundation has been pushed upward or sunk further into the ground due to the surrounding soil expanding and contracting over time.
Cracks Above Window Frames
You should periodically grab that ladder out your garage or shed and check the frames above your windows. If there are cracks above the windows, then this is another clue that your foundation may have shifted.
Stair Stepping Cracks In Bricks
If you have a brick home, then this can be another place you can tell if your home has a foundation problem. When the home’s foundation expands or contracts over time, this can cause the bricks to start cracking in what looks like a staircase crack in the bricks’ mortar.
Horizontal Cracks
Horizontal cracks are a safe bet that your home’s foundation has shifted and needs major repairs. Concrete’s natural behavior is to harden and crack, so small cracks are normal and should be observed over time to see if they grow. But horizontal cracks in the foundation are usually signs that you have foundation problems from shifting soil that needs repairs from a professional foundation repair company.
Chimney Cracks
Does your home have a chimney that is cracked now? Or has the chimney become partially disconnected from the rest of the house? This is usually evidence that your home has foundation issues that need to be corrected. Remember to repair the foundation too when you get that chimney fixed, or the chimney may crack and dislodge from the home again.
Have questions about your homes foundation? Contact us to see how we can help.