Worried About Your Home? 4 Signs You've Suffered Foundation Damage

The foundation is one of the most important components of your home. If it's not structurally sound, the rest of your home won't be either. But things like earthquakes, flooding, and even natural settling can damage the foundation. And the more severe the damage, the more structurally unstable your home is going to be. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to identify foundation damage, especially without knowing what to look for. If you're sure about the structural stability of your home, here are four places that you should look for signs of damage.

Doors and Windows

When checking for foundation damage in your home, the first thing you should do is inspect your doors and windows.As the foundation shifts, the changes can put pressure on your door and window frames. When that happens, you'll notice changes in the way your doors and windows move. 

Doors

Open each of your doors. They should open smoothly, without being tugged on. When you close them, they should shut securely, without needing to be pushed on to latch. As you're opening and closing each door, look at the corners of the door jambs. You'll be looking for cracks in the drywall. If the doors don't open and close properly, or you see cracks around the door jambs, you may have foundational damage under your home.

Windows

Windows should move along the frame smoothly. If your windows won't open, look along the edges to see if they've been painted shut. If they haven't, the foundation may have shifted, causing the window to get jammed inside the frame.

Ceiling Edges

Once you've inspected your doors and windows, you should take a look at the edges of the ceiling. The seam that connects the ceiling to the walls should be snug. If you see cracks, or spaces between the walls and the ceilings, your foundation may be shifting under that area of the house.

Flooring

As you're walking through your home, pay close attention to the floors. Look for areas that might feel uneven under your feet. For areas that are covered by carpeting, look for ridges or spaces that look like something might be under the carpet. Ridges and uneven areas under your flooring are signs that your concrete has cracked and shifted position.

Basement Walls

If you have a basement, you'll need to inspect the walls. Foundation shifting can cause your basement walls to buckle. Take a good look at each basement wall. If you see any signs of buckling or bowing – meaning the walls look like they're being pushed in or out from the foundation – your foundation might be shifting under your home.

Foundation damage can destroy your home. If you've discovered any of the problems described above, you need to contact a foundation underpinning contractor as soon as possible. They'll be able to repair the damage before you're home suffers catastrophic damage. 

Share