Does your home show signs of slab failure?
It’s important to evaluate your home at the earliest sign of foundation damage. This can minimize home foundation repairs and expenses for your family, while ensuring your house remains safe and secure.
For a free in-home evaluation, simply contact Foundation Repair Solutions. In the meantime, however, be aware of these key indicators that could lead to serious problems with your home foundation.
Outside of your home, check for:
- Cracks on the foundation concrete at the base of the home. In some cases, small cracks may simply be cosmetic. Have these evaluated by a professional, since they could be a sign of future problems.
- Roof leaks. This could indicate a shift in the foundation if your shingles and other roofing materials are otherwise in good condition.
- Drainage problems and standing water. Water collected near the foundation can cause the soil to expand, creating pressure and damage.
- Diagonal cracks along mortar joints in the brick veneer. This shows shifting and stress are separating the brick from one another.
- Separation around the garage door and other exterior doors. A shift in the home’s foundation creates stress on walls and door joints, which will show up as separation and cracks. You might notice that doors do not close smoothly, as they once did.
Inside your home, look for:
- Sticking doors. If a door has begun to stick, or if it looks like it is no longer hung properly, this may be a sign of a foundation problem.
- Window problems. Sometimes, a window might not open unless a great deal of force is applied. Other times, windows refuse to stay open. A stiff, sticking or loose window may be an indication of trouble.
- Cracks in interior walls. These are particularly important to notice at the joints where walls meet ceilings, doors or other walls. Cracks might show the joints are pulling away from one another.
- Cracks in the fireplace. Foundation stresses can create cracks between bricks and tile.
- Nail pops. While nails protruding from wallboard can occur under other circumstances, they can also be a sign of a shifting foundation.
If any of these signs are apparent, call a professional immediately for a foundation inspection. Once they begin, foundation problems do not go away on their own. In fact, if you wait before addressing these problems, they will grow more difficult and expensive to repair.
Some foundation repair companies offer a free inspection and repair estimate. You have nothing to lose by being proactive. Make the call today, and ensure your foundation lasts a lifetime.