Moving into your first home is a great experience simply because you feel about as grown up as you might ever feel (aside from parenthood). While the exhilaration of this rite of passage may be what’s making each packing box easier to carry, it’s things like advanced foundation repair that can be the cold water in your face you don’t want to think about. Who would blame you, right?
Then again, your foundation serves as the, well, foundation of your home. The biggest material investment of your life is held up by the foundation, so it’s health should be a priority in your life. For some reason, however, it usually isn’t until something comes up that demands your immediate attention. It’s this cycle of putting things off that needs breaking, and this starts with you.
Let’s face it – you’re probably not a home repair wiz who can handle just about any repair needed around the old homestead. Yet, you are probably good at spotting things that seem out-of-place, and this one small skill may be the best tool for tackling the rough world of advanced foundation repair.
If you see these three signs (any one in particular or all of them at once), advanced foundation repair is in your immediate future:
Sloping and Uneven Floors – Walk around your home, and see if you notice any places where your floor slopes or feels uneven under your feet. Use a simple ball to find hard-to-see ups & downs. Also, walk outside and see if your home may be showing signs of a slope.
Trouble Opening/Closing Doors and Windows – Doors are usually quick to spot as being hard to open or close, but with so much reliance on HVAC systems, opening & closing windows doesn’t happen as often. Take the time to check them out, and you’ll certainly know something is off if you see cracks in the glass.
Noticeable Cracks Larger Than 1/4″ Thick – Everyone has heard the old saying, “Oh, that’s just the house settling.” It’s often regarded as no big deal and something that helps explain odd noises in your home. While some cracks can occur as a result of a home settling a bit on the soil underneath it, you want to be sure to watch the width of the cracks. If you’re over the 1/4″ marks, that’s not settling – that’s foundation movement & not acting quickly can have consequences.
Advanced foundation repair, if you’re lucky, will not be something you’ll have to face early in your life as a homeowner. That said, home foundation issues are different from home to home, which is why it’s imperative to be a proactive homeowner & look for warning signs. Being able to see when something may be on the horizon can get an amazing foundation repair company on the premises early. Failure to do so can mean more costly repairs down the road.