Your house is most likely your single most valuable investment; as such, you need to treat it right for gains in the long-term. Though this aspect of home maintenance is often overlooked, regular foundation inspections are a must to keep it — and your investment at large — in top shape. Should you ever want to sell your home in the future, you’ll need documentation indicating that foundation inspections occurred at least every 20 years. This is the best way to avert a home foundation disaster from happening in the first place. Let’s take a look at some of the tell-tale signs that you need to call your home foundation repair service.
FOUNDATION CRACKS
One of the more obvious signs of foundation damage are visible cracks. Before you call in a home foundation repair service expert, however, you first need to figure out if the crack is a harmless issue or a dangerous warning.
In the first year after pouring your foundation, the curing process can cause some shrinkage cracks to appear. Luckily, these are harmless cracks, as long as they occur during the first year of the foundation’s life. Keep in mind that shrinkage foundation cracks do not change over time and that’s another essential way to identify them.
On the other hand, it’s important to notice foundation cracks if they occur several years after pouring it. This could be a sign of the foundation is settling. These particular cracks will widen over time which is the signal that your foundation is moving, either because of internal issues or shifting earth beneath your home. A moving or sinking foundation could have one large crack or many small ones.
Once you notice these potentially serious cracks, you need to consult your home foundation repair service professional to fix them. Do not attempt to fill them in yourself; this may prevent the foundation repair contractor in Knoxville TN from being able to lift the foundation.
STICKING WINDOWS OR DOORS
Sticking windows and doors are another popular sign that it may be time to bring in a foundation repair contractor. If you’ve been having trouble opening these features of your home, a shifting foundation may be to blame. The best way to determine if foundation trouble is causing your doors and windows to stick is by using a level.
Place a four-foot level at the top of the door or window frame. If the level doesn’t balance, you should hire a foundation repair expert to inspect the issue. Should they determine that the foundation is the root of the problem, they can rectify the situation before further home damage occurs.
UNEVEN FLOORS
Any dipping, sagging, or bowing in your floor is a potential sign of foundation trouble. It doesn’t matter if the floor material is made from wood, concrete, or laminate: an uneven floor can affect just about any home.
Uneven basement concrete floors are due to foundation heave or settling. Regardless of the reason, you need a slab foundation repair company to come in and fix it. Foundation settling is also another trigger for uneven wooden flooring, and you will need to zero in on the particular issue and remedy it.
KNOW WHEN TO CALL A HOME FOUNDATION REPAIR SERVICE
We’ve got a post detailing just this, so click here and brush up on the warning signs that let you know it’s time to call up the professionals before you have a home foundation disaster on your hands. When your foundation is acting up, be sure to call the home foundation repair service you can trust: Guardian Foundation Repairs.