Foundations are crucial to maintaining a property’s overall structure. If your foundation deteriorates, your home might sink, twist, or slip, causing expensive damage to your home’s structure.
In extreme cases, walls may even collapse, most particularly when there’s sudden motion like an earthquake. While some damages can be repaired, it’s still wise to avoid making such expensive repairs. Before it’s too late, you must detect possible problems with your home’s foundation. Hence, take note of the following signs that your home requires foundation repair:
1. Sticky Windows And Doors
There are instances that sticky windows and doors are due to humidity. The wood in the windows or door expands with the level of moisture, making it tougher for them to function properly.
However, if there’s no humidity in your place and your windows and doors are constantly sticking for no reason, it might be because your home’s foundation is starting to shift. This occurs because as your foundation moves, the window or door frame will twist out of balance.
If you notice this sign, it’s advisable to contact a foundation repair service provider. Explain that your windows and doors don’t seem to fit in their frames, then make an appointment for a thorough foundation assessment.
2. Presence Of Many Bugs
All homeowners deal with their fair share of pests. But if your house seems to have many bugs, it might be a sign that there are cracks in your home’s foundation.
Earwigs, pill bugs, centipedes, roaches, and carpenter ants are drawn to moist areas and will make their way into your property through any cracks.
3. Sloping Or Uneven Floors
Another sign that your home requires foundation repair is a sloping or uneven floor; floorboards may start to squeak and you may hear some rattling rounds once you walk. It’s easy to notice uneven floors–just stretch a string across your floors and see if it’s at the same level.
Also, to ensure that there’s no problem with your foundation, never forget to inspect the floors on your home’s exterior. Take note that a good home foundation can help maintain your home’s value.
4. Drywall Cracks
Cracks may form in your drywall for numerous reasons. If you’re living in a place with a high humidity level, the moisture may cause cracks in your walls in the long run. Water damage from your roof may also cause cracks in your walls.
However, if your gutter systems are still in good condition, the humidity isn’t a problem, and your attic insulation is great, such cracks might mean that your home foundation is uneven.
5. Gaps And Nails In The Caulking
If you see the heads of nails sticking out of your home where they lie flat, it can be a sign that your home foundation needs repair.
Your home foundation might have settled or shifted, which can make your walls bend a bit, pushing the nails out. This may also cause your doors and windows to pull away from their caulking. So, see to it that your caulking forms a seal around such openings.
6. Bowing Walls
Straight walls that have started to bow or bend may be a sign of a serious foundation problem. Check your basement’s walls because some bends might show a soil expansion foundation issue.
You must also inspect both your outdoor and indoor walls to determine whether they’re both vertically and horizontally straight. While bowing might be a construction problem, you can’t rule out a damaged foundation.
7. Separating Walls
Regardless of your home design, it’s still possible to have a wall structure that’s attached directly to your home foundation. If you notice that your walls have shifted a bit or wrinkled, your home foundation might be the problem.
If you’re using a wallpaper, check if it’s starting to rip apart or crease. If yes, don’t wait for a long period of time to call for professional assistance and let the experts help solve your foundation concerns.
8. Leaning Chimney
Once you notice that your chimney is cracking or leaning, it might be a sign that there’s a problem with your home foundation.
Take note that in other old homes, the chimney doesn’t share a foundation with the property itself as it always has its own foundation. So, you don’t have to check your home’s foundation. You just have to check your chimney’s foundation.
But, if your house was built with the chimney, it means that you should check your home foundation immediately. If necessary, look for experts to help repair your foundation.
Conclusion
Once you see signs that you require a foundation repair, it’s important to take action as soon as possible. You might not like to concern yourself with minor cracks, but ignoring them may result in costly foundation repairs.
Other than that, for you to know the best recommendation to stabilize your home’s foundation, make sure to call a foundation repair expert.