Sometimes you try to do everything to ensure your foundation remains intact, but damage can still occur. There are different signs of foundation damage including cracks on the floor, walls, windows, and door areas of your home. As soon as you find these signs, it’s important to hire a professional for a foundation inspection. Foundation inspections can help prevent your foundation’s performance from suffering and increase its longevity. Below are what contractors check when doing foundation inspections.
Cracks
Finding cracks on walls or in the foundation itself indicate your house needs more attention. Tiny cracks are standard, but a quarter-inch crack indicates your house may be at a higher risk due to excess movement. A foundation takes up 10% to 15% of the total cost of constructing a home, according to Bob Vila. It’s therefore essential to hire a professional foundation inspector to look for any possible cracks, figure out their severity, and give the best solution to solve the issue.
Foundation Settling
Another significant foundation problem is called settling. Professionals usually repair it with beams on the interior and exterior to raise your building’s foundation. The fractures resulting from the foundation settling may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. If you ignore the issue, your foundation can end up sinking further into the ground after a while. Foundation inspections allow you to identify areas that are impacted by hydrostatic pressure that can cause damage to your entire building.
Upheaval
Foundation upheaval involves underground pipe leakage, excess moisture caused by downpours, and soil expansion or contraction. Moisture is the leading cause of upheaval due to plumbing leaks that may be resulted from drainage effects. Plumbing leakage may not affect your water bill but can lead to intense damage to a concrete slab foundation. Fresh water can also cause damage if it leaks from the drainage system. Freshwater leakage can lead to a house heaving and leaning ten inches on one side.
Gaps and Faulty Doors
When your house has sticky doors, there is a foundation problem. This is an issue that commonly impacts all types of foundations. Gaps around the doors and windows could be signs of a poor foundation. If your doors latch improperly, you should consult with your foundation inspector who can fix the problems as soon as possible.
Foundation inspections can be done by a contractor who will give you a report after completing the process. They can also give an estimate on the foundation repair cost so you can figure out if it’s within your budget. Take the first step and have your foundation inspected by calling Hy-tech Foundation Repair today.