3 Clues Your Foundation Is Wreaking Havoc On Your House's Structure
The foundation of any building is by far one of the most important components of its structure. The building's foundation is what keeps it standing firm and tall. According to HOME Stratosphere, the average home weighs over 200 tons. There are also a number of options for a foundation, including concrete, stone, and wood. This explains why it is extremely important that your house stands on a well-built, durable foundation.
On some occasions, like any other component of a building, a foundation can also be faulty. There are three main clues you can keep an eye out for that are tell-tale signs of a wonky foundation. If you notice one or more of them in your home, it would be best to bring in a professional that can advise you on how best to go about fixing it. You'll be glad to have noticed the early signs before it's too late.
Surface cracks
As Red Robin Masonry notes, one of the most common signs that your foundation may need fixing is horizontal cracks along your walls that are more than a quarter inch wide, noting that very fine cracks are normal and aren't cause for concern. Any foundation is prone to a slight amount of sinking and settling, which can cause thin, fine cracks, especially in the first couple of years after construction. However, larger cracks are a sign that your foundation might be moving a little too much.
According to Foundation Professionals, cracks can also appear along your floor, which is another clue that your foundation is likely causing problems. They note looking out especially for cracks that go wall-to-wall, or across several tiles if you have a tiled floor.
It's important to note that although observing these clues doesn't require a professional, fixing your foundation or cracks certainly does, so make sure you bring one in if need be.
Door and window trouble
As Family Handyman explains, doors or windows sticking, not latching closed properly, or their frames coming off the wall might also be because your foundation is experiencing problems. They explain that a settling foundation affects the doors and windows, causing them to come out of plumb. If most of the doors and windows in your home are experiencing these kinds of problems, although it might be an easy fix, there is likely a bigger problem at the root of it.
HD Foundations, Inc. also notes the same, explaining that homeowners might even experience double doors or windows not aligning perfectly with each other. Wooden doors and windows can sometimes also be affected by high humidity, which usually happens a few days after heavy rain or flooding, so make sure you take this into consideration too when examining your home for signs. A visual inspection with a professional is recommended if things seem out of order.
Are your floors and ceilings level?
Angi notes that another sign of a weak foundation is uneven floors and ceilings. They recommend rolling a marble along your floor to test whether your floors are perfectly level. If the marble rolls instead of staying still, it's likely that your foundation will need looking at.
It's interesting to note that, according to Groundworks, there are five major events that cause foundation damage. Major culprits that result in damaged foundations that will need fixing include load-bearing walls slowly collapsing over time, soil shrinking and expanding underground over time due to time and weather patterns, flooded basements or leaks causing water damage, and insufficient external drainage of water. They also note that costs for fixing this issue can vary based on a number of factors, but you can expect to spend $3,500 to $10,000. This is certainly not a small sum of money, which is why it's very important that you check for signs early on so you can ensure your home is safe for occupation.