Home & Real Estate

5 Common Signs Your Home Needs Foundation Repair

Foundations are essential to your home’s stability. But over time, the stresses of weather and soil can weaken them.

Having your foundation professionally inspected can help you spot issues early and fix them before they get out of hand. Watch for these 5 Common Signs Your Home Needs Foundation Repair.

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Cracks

If you notice a crack in your walls, it is likely a sign of foundation issues. These cracks usually indicate that your house is shifting or settling and can worsen if they are not fixed quickly.

The crack in a corner or above a doorway may indicate structural movement in your home’s foundation. These cracks should be inspected and repaired by an expert foundation company, like foundation repair in New Jersey, as soon as possible to prevent future damage to the house.

Older homes will tend to settle and move over time, and this can cause hairline cracks in the wall. These are usually caused by climate conditions which make the paint and drywall expand and contract over time.

However, if the hairline cracks are more significant and occur in a corner, they should be checked by a professional and repaired. This is particularly important if the shots are diagonally in a corner, as this can suggest with the foundation problems.

Those squiggly cracks in your walls may not seem like an issue initially, but they can be a sign of more serious structural damage. Call a foundation repair contractor like the team at https://www.restumpingunderpinningexperts.com.au/ immediately if you see a crack over a quarter of an inch wide or notice other signs of drywall damage.

These tiny wall fractures can occur when the soil under your home expands and contracts due to changes in weather, such as droughts or repeated periods of rain. Additionally, if you find a white powdery substance called efflorescence on your walls, it indicates a damaged foundation.

Hairline cracks that appear around doors and windows are a common problem with homes that have been in use for several years. The settling of a home can cause these cracks to form, but they are usually nothing to worry about unless they are accompanied by other signs of foundation issues, such as doors that don’t close properly or uneven floors.

Sagging

If your concrete driveway, walkway, or patio area is sagging, this could be due to foundation issues. It may be caused by water draining into your home, washing away the soil underneath.

Another sign of a faulty foundation is sagging floors. Floors should be level and close to the walls.

A sagging floor isn’t typical for a home built to code, but it’s a significant warning sign of foundation problems.

Sagging floors can result from damaged sill plates, band boards, and joists. It can also signify structural damage, such as a rotting wood beam in an older house.

Sagging floors are a safety hazard and can affect your home’s value. It’s a good idea to take the time to inspect your home for signs of foundation problems before you list it for sale.

Leaking

Looking for signs of foundation damage can help you get it fixed before it causes significant problems. Some of the most common symptoms that your home needs foundation repair include leaking in the walls.

Leaking in the walls can indicate that water is escaping from your foundation, which will cause significant damage. This can lead to cracks in the walls and floors, rotting wood framing, and mold growth.

This can also create heaves or bulges in the concrete slab floor. This is a sign that the concrete is expanding under pressure from the water.

Another warning sign of a leaking foundation is efflorescence, a white powdery substance that appears on your walls when water evaporates and leaves behind traces of salt.

A leaking foundation can also cause your floors to be uneven or sagging, ruining your home’s aesthetic value. It can also make your home a safety hazard, especially for children. Regardless of the cause, you should seek a professional for foundation leak repair as soon as possible.

Crawling Bugs

Crawling bugs are a common pest problem that homeowners face. These insects are harmless in small numbers, but if you have a significant infestation, they can pose serious health problems for you and your family.

Ants, crickets, and spiders are some of the most common crawling pests that enjoy dark and damp crawl spaces. These creatures live in colonies and will eat almost everything they see in your crawl space.

They can also damage wooden elements in your crawl space. They are especially attracted to wood exposed to moisture and decaying fungus.

If you notice any of these creatures in your crawl space, it is best to call a professional foundation contractor for assistance.

Inspecting your crawl space can help you identify potential problem areas and prevent infestations from occurring. You can also protect your crawl space from various pests by hiring an experienced company to clean out the site and seal any holes or gaps allowing these bugs in.