Knowing the early warning signs of foundation troubles can head off problems that could ultimately cost thousands of dollars to repair. The sooner they are identified, the easier, and less expensive the repair could be.
As is the case in most instances, foundation troubles can mimic conditions that are not any cause for concern. For instance, do brick cracks or that little crack in the basement wall add up to nothing much, or is it a sign that the house is sinking into the earth? Other signs are not even near the foundation, such as door frame/window frame separation from brick or doors out of square.
In most cases, only a trained professional knows whether or not there’s a problem with the foundation that needs to be addressed right away.
Any structure, be it a place of business or a home, settles over time. A little bit of unevenness isn’t cause for panic, though it’s important to be alert to a few signs that more dramatic chances could be taking place.
- Exterior Cracks
Fine, small cracks in the exterior walls or on the steps are usually nothing to worry about. Exterior cracks that are large and have a zig-zag pattern may be a sign that there’s something wrong with the foundation. Brick cracks or bricks that are protruding from the wall should be checked. - Interior Sheetrock Cracks
You should suspect a problem when the interior sheetrock cracks are zig-zagging and run nearly the height of the wall. They should also call in a contractor if wallpaper is pulling away from the wall and if there are cracks at the junction of the wall and the ceiling. - Doors Out of Square and Uneven Floors
Very few structures are plumb after a few years of settling, but a door that is really out of square and has cracks in the wall above it should be looked at. Many owners of otherwise sound structures have such uneven floors shown only when some water is spilled, and it rolls in one direction. You should be worried if the gradient of the floor is more than one or two inches every 15 feet. - Door Frame/Window Frame Separation from Brick
A window or door frame that’s pulling away from the brick wall is a serious sign that the foundation is in trouble. - Rotten Wood – Pier & Beams
Piers and beams that have rotten wood can be signs of several things besides a bad foundation, and all of these things need to be examined. The humidity of the basement or crawlspace can be too high, there’s been a flood, or the piers and beams have been attacked by termites or carpenter ants. Rotten wood is never a good sign. - Bouncing floors – Rotten Wood
Bouncing floors – rotten wood can also be a sign of some other dire thing besides foundation trouble. If the floors feel like trampolines, they should be carefully inspected. - Tile Cracks
Though tiles fired at high temperatures are quite hard, they’re also brittle. Many things can cause tile cracks. If there are too many tile cracks in the kitchen, bathroom or wherever they are, this might be a sign of foundation trouble. - Expansion Joint Separation
The expansion joint is installed in a structure to compensate for movement caused by the shifting of the earth, changes in the temperature, humidity, wind and other events. A failing foundation can cause such expansion that the joint fails, which can cause widespread cracking. Conversely, a failing expansion joint can cause the foundation to fail. - Nails Pop Out of Drywall
Though the sight of a few nails popping out of drywall may be harmless and easily fixed, if it is widespread a professional should be called in. - Walls Pull Away from the House
A building contractor should be called in right away if you see that an exterior wall is actually pulling away from the house. If this isn’t fixed, the wall can collapse.
Many property owners make the mistake of thinking that when they see foundation deterioration that it is simply a cosmetic issue which can be dealt with at their leisure. The reality is, that this cannot be farther from the truth. When left unattended, what may have been an easy repair can turn into a far more extensive issue with the potential of causing damage to the structure of your business or home.
As soon as you see any warning signs of foundation troubles, call EK Contractors for a free assessment, and we can put a stop to the damage before it gets worse.
The building we purchased this year had some cracks on its exterior which weren’t a good sign of its health. We took a look inside and there were uneven floors and signs of decay. Since the expansion joint was beginning to separate, I think we’ll hire a commercial demolition company to demolish the building so we can build a new one.
The building we purchased this year had some cracks on its exterior which weren’t a good sign of its health. We took a look inside and there were uneven floors and signs of decay. Since the expansion joint was beginning to separate, I think we’ll hire a commercial demolition company to demolish the building so we can build a new one.
The building we purchased this year had some cracks on its exterior which weren’t a good sign of its health. We took a look inside and there were uneven floors and signs of decay. Since the expansion joint was beginning to separate, I think we’ll hire a commercial demolition company to demolish the building so we can build a new one.
My dad’s old farmhouse is ruined. I wonder if the foundation is what made the walls pull away from the house. I am going to look for a demolition service to help me tear it down.
I like that you suggest getting repairs as soon as a problem is noticed. My parents have been talking about their floors becoming slanted so I have been looking into what the problem might be. I will send them this information so they can start looking for a foundation repair company.
I noticed that there are cracks in my foundation, and I’m not sure what to do. It makes sense that I would want to get a professional to fix it for me! They would be able to ensure that my foundation doesn’t get any worse.
That’s good to know that large zig-zag cracks in your foundation could be a bad sign. I wouldn’t want to have it crumble and then have the house cave in. I’ll have to call someone to repair the foundation if I ever see any big cracks in it.
I found it interesting how you mentioned how zig-zagging cracks are very detrimental to the health of your foundation. My wife and I want to sell one of our rental properties as we retire so we can have more leisure money, but the property in question has large cracks running up the side. We’ll be sure to find a repair service as we move forward so we can sell the house fast!
I was unaware that bouncing floors could denote that there were signs with the foundation of a home, likely needing careful inspection. My son recently told me that the floorboards in the living room felt like a trampoline. I’ll look into contacting repair services to ensure that my home can be as safe as possible.
It’s great to hear that the fine cracks on the walls are usually not something to really worry about. My cousin is trying to get in touch with a local contractor that can inspect his home. He is really worried that the foundation is starting to come apart and cause problems.
I noticed that my foundation has some cracks in it, and I’m not sure what to do about it. I didn’t realize that this could be a sign of some pretty deep problems! It would definitely be a good idea to get a professional to take a look at it for me. They would be able to ensure that it’s fixed up right.
I never realized that a zig-zag pattern in the crack could mean that something is seriously wrong with the foundation. My brother is trying to find a local professional that can help with the foundation of his home. He wants to get the cracks fixed properly so they don’t turn into really big problems in the future.
It’s good to know that the zig-zag pattern might mean that something is wrong with the foundation. My cousin is trying to get foundation repairs done ASAP. He has seen some cracks in the basement and wants to make sure it’s not going to cause any big problems.
It makes sense that a door that doesn’t close properly is a great cause for concern. My parents have some foundation issues that need to be looked at right away. I think it’s a good idea to find a repair company that will be able to work on the foundation before it gets any worse.
That makes sense that cracks in the foundation would be a bad sign. I could see how those would be a sign that the foundation is weakening. I’ll get a foundation service to help em out if I ever notice something like that.
I was doing some weeding around the side of my house, and I noticed that there are some cracks there. It makes sense that I would want to get someone to take a look at it for me! That way, I can determine if these cracks are indicative of foundation problems.
Thank you for informing your readers that exterior cracks could indicate that there is something wrong with the property’s foundation. It also never occurred to me that windows that are pulling away could indicate a problem too. Anyhow, if I’ll experience this, I would make sure to hire a foundation crack repair service.
Thank you for informing your readers that exterior cracks could indicate that there is something wrong with the property’s foundation. It also never occurred to me that windows that are pulling away could indicate a problem too. Anyhow, if I’ll experience this, I would make sure to hire a foundation crack repair service.
Thank you for informing your readers that exterior cracks could indicate that there is something wrong with the property’s foundation. It also never occurred to me that windows that are pulling away could indicate a problem too. Anyhow, if I’ll experience this, I would make sure to hire a foundation crack repair service.
Thank you for informing your readers that exterior cracks could indicate that there is something wrong with the property’s foundation. It also never occurred to me that windows that are pulling away could indicate a problem too. Anyhow, if I’ll experience this, I would make sure to hire a foundation crack repair service.
Thank you for informing your readers that exterior cracks could indicate that there is something wrong with the property’s foundation. It also never occurred to me that windows that are pulling away could indicate a problem too. Anyhow, if I’ll experience this, I would make sure to hire a foundation crack repair service.
Thank you for informing your readers that exterior cracks could indicate that there is something wrong with the property’s foundation. It also never occurred to me that windows that are pulling away could indicate a problem too. Anyhow, if I’ll experience this, I would make sure to hire a foundation crack repair service.
Thank you for sharing that exterior cracks that are large and have a zig-zag pattern can be an indication of a damaged foundation. My uncle just mentioned the other day that he is concerned about his house since he has noticed that there are some cracks on the exterior walls of his property. I will suggest to him looking for a reliable service that can offer to repair the foundation.
Thank you for sharing that exterior cracks that are large and have a zig-zag pattern can be an indication of a damaged foundation. My uncle just mentioned the other day that he is concerned about his house since he has noticed that there are some cracks on the exterior walls of his property. I will suggest to him looking for a reliable service that can offer to repair the foundation.
That makes sense that the cracks in the wall would be an issue. I could see how that would be a sign of something shifting and breaking the concrete. I’ll make sure to look out for those and get a concrete service to help me repair it if I find one.
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Thanks for explaining the different warning signs of foundation issues. My brother is hoping to find a reputable professional to look at his home. He’s concerned that he might have some issues happening to his foundation.
Thanks for the information on foundation issues. I wonder if it would be better to just get my foundation demolished. We’ll have to talk to some specialists.