SOS! 4 Signs Your Home Needs Immediate Foundation Repair

Never put off needed foundation repair for your home, as a faulty foundation risks interior water damage, wood rot, mold, and a list of other issues both inside and outside the house! While most homeowners are very responsible when it comes to scheduling home repairs, it’s not unusual for someone to overlook a few very common signs of foundation damage.

One reason for this oversight is that a homeowner might not realize how certain home repair issues are actually the result of a damaged foundation. In turn, they might address a “symptom” of foundation damage while ignoring needed foundation fixes! To ensure your home is always in good condition, check out some often-overlooked signs of needed foundation repair, and schedule a foundation inspection at the first sign of damage.

How Foundation Damage Affects a Home Structurally

To better understand some signs of foundation damage you don’t want to overlook, first note how a cracked, weakened foundation affects a home structurally, as explained by Montgomery Foundation Repair Pros, one of the leading experts on foundation repairs. As a foundation weakens, it cannot support the home’s weight properly. The home might then begin to shift and lean in one direction or another.

As a home shifts, this puts added weight on the already weakened foundation. The soil under and around that foundation might then start to crumble, so that one side of the home or another then begins to settle and sink.

When one side of a structure begins to settle and sink, it pulls on all its building materials and surfaces, both inside and out. This settling and its resultant pulling is what creates many signs of needed foundation repair, but which a homeowner might not associate with foundation damage!

Cracks Anywhere In The Home Can Mean Foundation Damage

As a home sinks, it pulls building materials apart. In turn, you might soon notice cracks along interior walls and ceilings as well as exterior walls. Cracks might also run up the length of a home’s chimney stack, or form along the inside of basement walls and floors.

Rather than just patching developing cracks, schedule a foundation inspection and especially if those cracks are severe, or you notice several cracks forming inside and outside the home. A foundation repair contractor might even want to inspect those cracks, to better understand the extent of foundation damage and where it might be concentrated, so he or she can ensure thorough foundation repairs.

Don’t Ignore Roof Damage Either!

When a sinking home pulls on building materials and surfaces, this includes the roof! A damaged foundation increases the risk of roof damage, including cracks, leaks, and holes. You might also notice shingles and tiles pulling away from the roof’s surface, or torn and damaged flashing.

While roof damage often has many causes including simple age and standard wear and tear, don’t ignore this issue or assume you only need roof repairs. A foundation repair contractor or roofer can note if roof damage indicates a sinking and settling home and if the foundation needs repair along with the roof.

Check Your Home’s Flooring for Signs of Foundation Damage

A home that has settled or is sinking along one side or another pulls on its interior floors as well as other surfaces. You might then notice buckled wood floors, or tile and wood slats pulling away from the home’s subflooring. Tiles that seem uneven suddenly, gaps between tiles and damaged caulk or grout, or cracked stone flooring can also indicate needed foundation repairs.

Sinking floors also pull on carpets in the home. You might notice what appear to be “stretch marks,” or thin sections of carpet in one area or another. Your home’s carpeting might also feel somewhat thin underfoot as it gets pulled and stretched.

Foundation Damage Can Lead to Plumbing Issues in the Home!

When a home sinks, it pulls on plumbing pipes and connectors. This can mean pipes no longer installed at a proper angle and the risk of leaks around connectors. Both of these issues can increase the risk of persistent clogs. How so?

As water runs through a home’s plumbing pipes, it takes solid material with it. Pipes running at too steep of an angle allow water to drain away quickly, while pipes not angled steep enough allow for standing water, so that solid materials build up and clog those pipes. Leaks also allow water to drain out of pipes so that there isn’t enough water to move solid materials along.

While persistent plumbing clogs can be the result of any number of plumbing issues, don’t overlook the risk of foundation damage and a settling home. Schedule an inspection and needed foundation repair at the first sign of damage, so your home is always in good condition.