Whether you’re looking to purchase a new home or examining your current home’s needs, it’s important to be aware of the condition of your foundation. Being able to read the tell-tale signs of a poorly made foundation is important to prevent irreversible damage to your home. If you’re in the market for a new house, understanding what constitutes a faulty foundation is crucial to making the right decision about what home you should buy. Keep reading to increase your homeowner savvy and learn more about how to identify some warning signs of a poorly made foundation.
Exterior Cracks
While it’s true that small cracks on the outside walls or steps of a house are usually not a big deal, cracks still may pose a threat to your home. If you see large, zig-zag cracks lining the outside of your home, you may be dealing with a faulty foundation. Horizontal cracks are sure indicators of potential foundation issues and need to be dealt with immediately. Cracks that appear at a 45-degree angle are signs of extreme foundation movement and may cause huge tears and splits in your walls. If you notice external cracks, don’t panic. Some cracks may purely be the result of outside damages and may have nothing to do with the integrity of your foundation. If you’re concerned about exterior cracks, get in touch with an expert that can examine your property and give you a professional diagnosis.
Uneven Doors
Even though some homes are not totally even because of design mistakes and some doors aren’t plumb due to construction errors, this is still an issue you should take into consideration. If multiple doors in your home are uneven and have cracks in the wall above them you may be dealing with foundation problems. If a door frame is pulling away from a brick wall in your home, there is a high chance that there are foundation concerns at play as well. Doors that stick and don’t close or open properly can also be a sign of this issue. When foundational problems are in effect, interior doors usually stick at the top of the door frame while exterior doors normally stick at the bottom of the frame.
Interior Cracks
Cracks at the intersection of the wall and the ceiling on the inside of your house are causes for concern. If you have a wallpaper that pulls away from the walls, you could be dealing with cracks underneath the paper that are signs that the foundation is in trouble. If you have tile flooring, check and make sure there aren’t multiple cracks scattered throughout. While cracks in tile floors can be caused by outside factors, an abundance of cracks is a strong indicator that you’re dealing with foundation issues.
Uneven Windows
Gaps around the windows of your home should set off an alarm signal. If your windows are pulling away from the frames and surrounding walls, the foundation may be to blame. When this problem arises, the windows may become difficult or impossible to close and transform into a huge inconvenience. They can become a safety hazard if left open, so make sure that you get help as soon as possible if your foundation problems prevent you from shutting your windows.
Rotting Wood
The collapse of wood in your home may be a sign of foundation damage. If you have wooden floors, check to make sure there are no bouncy areas of your floor space. If you notice a section that feels like a trampoline, you may be dealing with foundational problems. You may also notice that your floors become uneven and tilted as a result of a faulty foundation when you spill or drop something and it rolls away at a tilt on your floor. In a pier and beam house, floors tend to sag and bow, which poses a threat to the condition of your floor and the safety of your family.
Counter and Cabinet Separation
Having a bad foundation can also cause your cabinets and counters to pull away from the walls of your home. The separation may not be too bad at first, but that gap will get worse rapidly and pose major issues. These problems result in your whole house sloping inward. If your cabinets and counters lean over too much over time, they won’t be able to hold anything and whatever they do contain will come crashing out. If you notice sloping, contact experts to evaluate your home immediately.
Whenever your home needs repairs or masonry work completely, get in touch with the experts today. Contact Ray Arnold Masonry today for all your masonry needs – let’s get your home projects done right! Be sure to call us right away to learn more about how our team of professionals can serve you!