Foundation Repair: How Can a Homeowner Tell If Their House Needs It?

Detecting foundation repair issues early is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of your home. Finding it early can preventing costly repairs and reduce the risk for damage in the future. Your home’s foundation is the understructure of your home that holds up all the wooden beams, dry walls, roof, and inner contents on top of it. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t realize there is an issue with their home’s foundation until it’s too late. By knowing what signs to look out for, you could prevent the issue from getting worse. In this blog, we cover some key signs that homeowners should look out for to help determine if their house may need foundation repair.

11 Common Signs Your Home Needs Foundation Repair:

1. Cracks in the walls: Vertical cracks in the walls, especially near doors and windows, can be an indication of foundation settlement. Horizontal cracks could suggest pressure from the outside soil or other structural issues. If you have a concrete slab foundation look to see if you notice any major cracking.

2. Cracks in the foundation itself: Inspect the exterior of your home for cracks in the foundation. Pay attention to both horizontal and vertical cracks, as well as any that are wider at the top or bottom.

3. Doors and windows that stick or don’t close properly: If doors and windows suddenly become difficult to open or close, it may be a sign of foundation movement. When a home shifts this may cause doors and window not to align properly and making them difficult to use under normal operation.

4. Uneven or sloping floors: Walk around your home and check for sloping or uneven floors. Place a ball on the floor, and if it rolls in a particular direction, it could indicate a foundation problem.

5. Bowing or leaning walls: If you notice that walls are leaning or bowing inward or outward, it might be a sign of foundation issues. This can happen when outside forces like expanding soil push in your home’s foundation. If you notice this, it may be a good idea to reach out to a trusted professional to help determine the next steps.

6. Gaps around doors and windows: Gaps between doors or windows and their frames can develop if the foundation is settling unevenly. You can quickly identify this by inspecting the outer perimeter of the frame. Look to see if there is any noticable gaps or cracking on the caulk.

7. Puddles around the exterior: Poor drainage can lead to excess moisture around the foundation, contributing to foundation problems. Check for standing water or excessively damp areas.

8. Exterior brickwork issues: Look for cracks or gaps in the bricks or mortar on the exterior of your home, as these can be indicators of foundation settlement.

9. Crawlspace or basement issues: Inspect your crawl space or basement for signs of water intrusion, cracks, or shifts in the foundation walls.

10. Visible sinking or settling: Walk around your home and visually inspect for any noticeable sinking or settling, especially along the exterior walls.

11. Cracks that appear to be growing: If you notice cracks that are getting longer or wider in size, this is a clear sign that your foundation issue is urgent and needs to be repaired right away.

If you observe any of these signs, it’s advisable to consult with a professional foundation repair professional such as Maestro’s Foundation Repair, as they provide a free evaluation and 3rd party engineering report. Maestro’s Foundation Repair can assess the severity of the issue and recommend appropriate foundation repairs if necessary. Keep in mind that early detection and intervention can often minimize the extent of the damage and reduce repair costs.