The foundation is by far one of the most important things of any house. It is after all the solid ground on which the property stands. They are typically designed to be very strong and rarely have any issues, but it’s not uncommon to face damages.
The last thing you want is a damaged foundation. It will not only spread the issue to the rest of the house but also poses a very serious safety risk for you and your family. But how do you know the foundation is damaged or needs an inspection?
Here are five signs to keep in mind:
Foundation Damage in the Neighborhood
In case you notice that a few people in your neighborhood are having problems with their foundations, then perhaps it's time to also have yours checked.
In most cases, this could indicate that there is a general problem with the soil structure in the area or perhaps there was a geological event that led to foundation damage.
Even though your house may be safe, you don’t want to take any chances. After all, foundation problems are often easier to fix when detected early. So, get a good foundation inspection to be on the safe side.
There is Noticeable Damage
In some cases, the damage to the foundation will be too obvious to ignore, and that will be your first clue. There are a few signs that can point out foundation damage that you can easily keep an eye out for:
- First of all, you may want to inspect the basement walls to see if there are any cracks. They don’t have to be large cracks. Even small ones can provide clues to the state of the foundation.
- If windows have tilted or doors are no longer closing easily as before, it could also mean that there are some issues with your foundation.
- Pay attention to the floors as well. They need to be leveled so if they feel bendy or slanted, then something is wrong.
Buying or Selling a House
It is also very good proactive to have the foundation inspected before you buy or sell a house. This is not to say that you are expecting something to be wrong, but you don’t want to take the chance as fixing problems with foundations can prevent further damage.
You do not need to wait that long, especially when you consider the foundation inspection cost is so small. Besides, if you find that there are no issues, you can buy or sell that property confidently.
Drainage Problems
In most cases, homes that have drainage problems will likely have foundation issues as well. One of the biggest causes of foundation damage is the lack of proper drainage.
So, if you notice that the house is no longer as efficient as it used to be in moving water, you may want to get a footing inspection done as soon as possible.
Now, a minor drainage problem is not enough to cause damage to the foundation, especially if it is fixed as fast as possible. But if you are buying that house for the first time, you can never know how long the drainage issue has been there.
So, instead of taking any chances, schedule a foundation inspection as soon as possible.
Slanting
While some signs of foundation damage tend to be subtle, others are so obvious that you cannot miss them. Slanting is one of them. This is where the house sags on one side and becomes visibly slanted to the naked eye.
This is caused by serious foundation damage and it completely affects the structural integrity of the house in a huge way. In that case, you will have to call in a licensed foundation inspector. It may also be a good idea to vacate the house and have it fixed.
Serious damages to the foundation take time to repair and may cost you a fortune. But the sooner you get this done, the safer it will be for you and your family to live in that house.
Before your home's foundation has a chance to spread the damages and risk the property’s structure, call a foundation inspector of your choice with your request for service.
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