Few Warning signs of Building Foundation Problems

You know that homeowners often wonder how to identify the different signs of foundation problems. Here’s why – the longer you wait to treat visible signs of damage, the more severe the damage can become. Left untreated, minor cracks and leaks can turn into serious structural issues that compromise the value and overall health of your home. Your home’s foundation is, well, the foundation of your home’s overall structural integrity. Foundations are generally constructed of concrete poured over steel; as time passes and the elements take their toll on the home, all concrete will crack to some degree. 

Warning signs of Building Foundation Problems:-

• Do certain areas of your floor creak? These types of signs that your home’s framing may be warped by a shifting foundation or water damage, or may indicate the need for added structural supports.
  
  
• Cracks in brick walls around your house exterior are unsightly, but worse, they can be early warning signs of serious structural damage to your home. As your home ages, the soil underneath its foundation can settle and shift. This causes the foundation itself to move, as well. Too much movement; whether due to contracting soil, weather events, or poor drainage.
  
  
• If your basement is wet and your wall leaking water, basement cracks must be addressed. But the problems could potentially run a lot deeper than just mildew and even flooding, these leaks could be a symptom of damage to the foundation of your home. When the soil beneath a house’s foundation settles, it sometimes causes the foundation itself to shift.
  
  
• You might assume that any foundation issues would be most obvious near the ground – but the opposite is actually true. When a foundation has been compromised, the most obvious signs of damage will be near the top of your house rather than the bottom.  Carefully inspect the top story of your home from the outside using a ladder. Look for cracks that appear above window frames – this is the most common place for damage to become visible. If you have a brick home, look for a stair-stepping crack in the veneer of the brick.
  
  
• The chimney is typically the heaviest part of your house. When soil problems occur, it is usually the chimney that shows the first effects of the shift. When it submerges, it starts to arc away from the structure. This effect, known as ‘settling’ can have other consequences, not least of which is a sharp drop in the value of the structure.

Northern Underpinning Adelaide is an organization you can trust and rely on. Our dedicated team is licensed and properly trained to ensure a rock solid foundation to your home.