The strength of your home is dependent on the rigidity of the foundation. The foundation supports every bit of your home, and the problem affects every aspect of your home.
Damage to a home foundation can be caused by environmental stress, soil movement ( expansion and contraction), excessive moisture, natural disaster, and poor drainage system.
Repeated exposure to unpleasant environmental stress will weaken your foundation, creating cracks and making it vulnerable to flooding, insect infestation, or total collapse.
Signs of Structural Damages to your Home’s Foundation
The following are indications that your home’s foundation may be damaged. Bear in mind that foundation repairs should be fixed as soon you notice them and must be done by a building expert. Meanwhile, you can carry out magnetic particle testing to determine if your home has a foundation problem.
● Misaligned Doors and Windows
The first sign of a sinking or shifting foundation is when doors and windows become improperly aligned. This causes the doors and window frames to pull away from the walls, leaving a gap between them. The space between the wall and the frame exposes your home to moisture and insect infestation.
● Wall Cracks
Cracks on the exterior wall of your home confirm that the foundation is damaged and urgent repair is required.
The cracks on the exterior of your home can either be small vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
Horizontal cracks are signs of water damage and could lead to more significant issues if not fixed soon. Diagonal cracks require the most attention as it indicates that the building’s weight is not balanced— not properly distributed.
Wall cracks can occur on the interior of your home, too, especially if you did not notice or fix the exterior cracks. Interior wall cracks indicate that your home is at risk of collapsing.
● Sagging and Cracked Floor
A sagging floor is when the floors are unlevel. A sagging floor makes the floor level bow up or dip down and worsen over time.
Cracks in flooring like tiles, vinyl, or concrete could indicate foundation problems. Floorings like tiles can be damaged when a heavy material falls on them, but few tiles are affected in such cases.
A wall-to-wall cracks on the flooring or when tiles are separated at the grout joints. Both could confirm the presence of a foundational problem.
● Wall Rotation
Wall rotation is caused by the expansion of oversaturated clay soil, especially during periods of heavy rain. The water pressure caused the foundation wall to push inward, which created a rotational motion.
● Damp Basement
When water enters the basement through the basement wall, the foundation may be damaged. A crack in the foundation will allow water into your basement, cellar, or crawl space. This damage will encourage infestation if not repaired as soon as possible.
Other Signs
- Cracked or leaning chimney
- Static structure withdrawing from the wall
- Foundation upheaval
How to Fix Foundation Problems
With proper tools and knowledge, you can handle many home repairs, but foundation problems may not be one of them. A small crack less than a quarter inch in width can be sealed with an epoxy injection. However, serious foundation problems like wall rotation, cracked flooring, and others are best assigned to certified building professionals.