When you have a foundation problem, you want to make sure you know as early as possible. Draper Realty says, the earlier you catch foundation problems, the more likely you are to be able to fix it without seriously invasive and difficult measures. If you’re dealing with foundation problems, you need to know early on, and that means keeping an eye out for warning signs.
Here are some common warning signs that JESWork Baltimore has noticed as a basement repair expert.
1. Slanted Floors
Most of the time, a floor has to get very slanted before you’re able to notice it as a homeowner. If you have a floor that’s so slanted you’re noticing furniture moving and problems with maintaining your balance, you almost certainly have foundation problems. Most commonly, slanted floors happen because there’s a problem with the floor joists causing them to bend under the weight of the home. This can eventually culminate in serious foundation problems, even causing the floors to collapse if they’re not addressed.
2. Cracks in the Drywall
If you have cracks in the drywall of the general home, especially if the cracks are bad enough to be obvious in the wall overall, there’s probably a structural problem of some kind. Most of the time, these cracks come from an issue with the weight distribution in the home. If the home is settling such that the home is slightly tilted, the drywall from one side may lift off the ground slightly, causing significant structural tension. That can cause cracks in the drywall, indicating that there’s a foundational problem.
3. Sticking Doors and Windows
When you open and close doors and windows, do you notice that they don’t seem to fit properly into their frames? Does it seem like you have to try really hard to fit the doors and windows back into their frames? This is what’s called “sticking,” and it’s a problem that many people just overlook. However, this typically happens when the home settles and causes the doorframes and window frames to warp. Settling to the extent where your doors and windows are starting to warp can indicate a serious foundational problem, and it’s unlikely to stop there.
4. Issues With Concrete Around the Home
Most concrete requires a certain amount of maintenance to keep it completely healthy. If you never maintain your concrete and you start to notice small cracks and discoloration, that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a serious problem with your foundation, as you may just not have maintained the concrete. However, if you start seeing significant cracks, bumps in your concrete, and concrete sinking to one side, there may be a problem with the soil underneath the concrete. That’s the same soil as is underneath your home, so it could indicate serious foundation problems.
5. Serious Waterproofing Problems in the Basement
The basement is a place that many people never visit, which means it’s a place that many people ignore. However, there are plenty of serious problems that a basement can run into. What if you’re noticing high levels of humidity, stale air, efflorescence, and even mold in your basement? The bad news is that it typically means there’s a problem with your foundation, but the good news is that this isn’t a normal part of having a basement, and you can fix it. You just have to call in a basement repair expert to help you with it.
Conclusion
These are all signs that you can notice by yourself. You don’t need an expert to help you figure out that you have a foundation problem, even though you might need one to help you fix it. Keep an eye out for these basement warning signs so that you can call in the experts as soon as you notice the problem, reducing the issues you might otherwise have with foundational concerns.
