Damage to your home’s foundation can significantly reduce the value of your investment. That’s why it is imperative that you check your home for signs of foundational damage regularly. You may think that inspecting the external foundation of your home is all that is required, but the reality is that there are many signs throughout your home that can give you a heads up that there may be foundational damage, including:
- Doors and windows – Check around all your doors and windows. Open and close them repeatedly to see if they do so easily. Check for gaps around the outer edges. If the foundation has shifted, or is damaged in spots, the doors may not open and close as easily as they once did. If the windows have to be forced open or closed this could also be a result of foundational issues.
- Floors and ceilings – When you walk around the inside of your home look for sections of flooring that have sunken and any sections of ceiling that have sagged. These issues could be a sign that your foundation has settled and that you may need to have some timely repairs made.
- Walls – While you are inspecting the inside of your home pay close attention to your walls. If they are bowing in either direction it means that the structure has fallen somewhere. The ceiling may be pushing down onto the walls, making them curve in one direction or another. Watch for any drywall nails, or screws, which are pushing out from the walls. These could be signs that your home is in need of some structural repair solutions before more severe damage is done.
- Mold – Mold and mildew are signs that water is leaking into your interior. This can be caused by a shift in your house, or from simple drainage issues. When you find a spot that is visible, or when there is a musty smell present, do some exploring to try and locate the issue. Remember that some molds can be extremely hazardous to you and your family, so have these issues delt with as quickly as possible.
- Chimney – Inspect your chimney from the ground level to see if it is starting to shift. Look for broken bricks or cracks. Typically, any movement in the foundation will show in the chimney to some degree.
- Cracks – Check around the outer edge of the foundation to see if there are any visible cracks. Mark any that you find and check them regularly to see if they have become larger. Now walk around inside your basement, or crawl into the space under your house to check for damage. If you spot any significant cracks you should consult with a professional that can give you a better idea of what the problem may be, and recommend how it should be dealt with.
- Exploratory Hole – Whether you have found any issues or not, it is a good idea to hire a company that can drill an exploratory hole along the outer edge of your foundation to check for cracks in your foundation. They will inspect any areas that may have issues and provide a professional evaluation and cost estimate for required repairs.
Inspecting your home regularly for signs of foundational damage can save you a lot of money in the long run. The sooner that you spot a potential issue, the sooner you can have it resolved before more considerable (and costly) damage is done.
