Like many new homeowners in Fargo, ND, you may not be paying attention to your foundation. You’re thinking the foundation is solidly built. The soil is well compacted. Everything looks good.
Two to three years after moving in problems start. Your foundation starts crumbling, water gets into the basement, and cracks appear on the foundation wall. How’s that even possible? Read on to find the answers.
Does My Home Have Foundation Problems?
Only a proper inspection can reveal what’s brewing under your foundation. But you don’t have to go under the hood to know something is wrong. Foundation issues will always manifest within your home. Keep an eye out for these problem signs when inspecting your home.
Foundation Settlement
Over time, one side of your home may sink. Vertical gaps will form, and they can begin as a small one-half inch dip in part of your home. Left unchecked, it’s possible for the entire foundation to sink by two to four inches. These can have devastating consequences for your home. Settlement issues will compromise your home’s foundation. Have it checked as soon as possible.
Cracking and Tilting Chimney
If you have a standalone chimney with its own footing, it’s likely to crack and settle or tilt due to its weight. Ask your local foundation repair contractor to inspect and fix it.
Drywall Cracks
When homes shift and settle, wall cracks will appear. And this happens a lot when the underlying soil can’t bear your home’s weight. The shift can be dramatic when the home is built on loose clay soil. Large, jagged cracks or diagonal cracks are all indications of structural problems. Waiting for long limits your repair options and leads to higher costs.
Sticking Doors and Windows
If the door starts sticking or fails to close properly, you have a problem with the foundation. Interior doors tend to stick or drag at the top while exterior ones stick at the bottom. One side of the door may be higher than the other side. If you have double doors, you’ll also notice they may hang incorrectly or fail to meet in the middle.
Uneven or Sagging Floors
Foundation issues affecting your supports will also bubble up to your floors. Your floors will appear out of level, feel bouncy, or sag. As well as being unsightly, uneven or sinking floors can be a tripping hazard.
Gaps Around Door or Window Frames
If you notice your doors and windows no longer latch, it’s likely there are gaps around their frames. Door frames may also become crooked and impair smooth operations. The problem may originate from your foundation. Carry out a visual inspection, then call your contractor.
Fixing Foundation Issues
The first thing you’d want to do is curtail some of the problems that encourage settlement. One of these is dry soils. Moisten the soil around the foundation using a sprinkler. This way, the underlying soil stays intact. Another thing you can do is create a rock bed that’s two inches from the foundation all around your house. These beds will hold moisture and allow it to seep right into the foundation soil.
If the problem is serious, a professional contractor can intervene with a variety of repair solutions to stabilize the foundation and bring the floors back up. We use pier systems to restore sunken foundations, heavy-duty stabilizers to level floors, and wall braces or anchors to straighten bowing walls.
Monitor cracks and crevices around your foundation as these can let in water, which can weaken your support structures. Don’t waste time, as the cracks could widen and lead to expensive repairs. Be sure to contact the experts at Innovative Basement Authority for a free foundation inspection and repair quote.
We’ll come over and inspect your home, then recommend a lasting solution to your foundational issues and problems.
