Whether it’s a window replacement, getting a new front door, or having your garage floor coded, you need to make sure your home is in good health before making any improvements.
If you suspect you may have foundation issues you must take care of them before making any other adjustments to your home. In this article I am going to show you key signs of Foundation issues what to look for and what you need to know before starting any home remodeling project.
And by the end of this article, you’ll be able to inspect your home for possible foundation issues and know what steps to take to get them fixed.
Well, foundation issues in your home can be caused by a few different things like shifting of the dirt or rocks underneath your home, extreme dryness or wetness in the soil, or the ground has sunk or risen. You can’t stop the natural shift of a foundation.
But when extreme or long term shifting occurs, it noticeably affects your home. So what are the common signs of Foundation issues? Here are four signs of Foundation issues that will tell you if you may have foundation issues.
Signs of Foundation issues
- Cracks in your exterior siding of door and window
- Cracks in the drywall inside your home
- Cracks in your stucco or brick siding
- Cracking in your concrete
1) Cracks in your exterior siding of door and window
Cracks in your exterior siding of door and window is the first sign of foundation issues. This can indicate that your home is shifted on one side but not on the other, forcing the siding to split or crack. So take a walk around the exterior of your home to inspect your siding whether it is vinyl, fiber, cement, wood, or other traditional lap siding types.
2) Cracks in the drywall inside your home
Any cracks in the drywall inside your home is another sign that there may be a foundation problem. If you notice any cracks inside your home in the walls and ceiling. This could indicate that your foundation has shifted similar to the exterior siding.
3) Cracks in your stucco or brick siding
Cracks in your stucco or brick siding is the third sign of foundation failure. If you have brick siding you may notice cracks in the mortar between the bricks. Cracking in the brick mortar or stucco siding tells you that your foundation has shifted somehow.
4) Cracking in your concrete
Cracking in your concrete is fourth sign of foundation failure. This could be your driveway, sidewalk, garage, floor, patio pool deck, or any concrete surface in your home.
Just like drywall, concrete cracks are a sign that the earth underneath has moved and torn up the concrete. This is important to fix.
Why is it essential to fix foundation issues?
If you have foundation issues that go unaddressed and start a home remodeling project such as a window siding or door replacement, those foundation issues could give you more problems during installation.
With windows and doors they must be specifically fitted to each window opening. If you have foundation problems for standard size windows, they probably won’t fit perfectly.
If you are looking to do a concrete coding and have foundation issues, the shifting of your foundation may cause the concrete to crack underneath and ruin the coating.
How to fix foundation issues?
It is very hard to tell whether these issues are severe or minor. So you should contact a professional foundation or repair company to inspect and assess your home. They will provide you right diagnosis and assistance in repairing your foundation.
It’s important to know that if you need foundation repair before your home remodeling project, you won’t be able to start construction on that project until 60 to 120 days after the repairs were made.
After foundation repair, your home will take that much time to settle. So if you notice any cracks around your home, it’s important to find a trustworthy foundation repair company to take care of your home before you start your next remodeling project.
Here I have told you 4 essential procedures to fix foundation issues:
- First of all Inspect and Evaluate the situation of house and foundation, If you don’t have too much knowledge, then hire a structural engineer to inspect your foundation and find the root of the problem.
- Use the tool such as moisture meters and laser levels to get the intensity of foundation issue.
- Add binding materials or special foam to strengthen the soil, for hard foundation. Soil nails or pillars can be used to anchor the foundation for more stable ground
- Concrete can be used as a resister to extend the foundation further into stable soil layers.
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