Foundation issues can occur for some reasons. These include the soil’s movement, natural disasters, poor initial construction, etc.
While major subsidence can visibly cause a building to lean to one side, other signs are less obvious. In this article, you’ll learn the signs your home needs underpinning and how to identify them.
Cracks in the Walls
When you notice a new crack in your wall, it can be alarming and confusing. Especially when they appear in hard-to-see places like behind doors or windows; thankfully, most cracks aren’t dangerous and signify that your house is settling.
Wider cracks, however, are more likely to indicate structural damage and sign that your house needs underpinning. Taking note of the direction in which the crack travels and whether it opens and closes with the seasons will help you determine how serious the problem is.
It’s important not to ignore these warning signs, as the longer you wait, the more damage your home will sustain. Underpinning is a safe and permanent solution to sinking or uneven foundations, provided it’s carried out by an experienced professional who consults with a structural engineer. Once your house foundation is stabilized, the cracks in your walls will disappear or become less severe. Sloping or uneven floors indicate that your foundation is shifting and may require underpinning.
Sagging Floors
When you walk on your floors, they should feel sturdy and steady, not bouncy or squishy. Sagging floors indicate a problem with the foundation under your home, particularly in basement or crawl space homes. They occur when the wooden beams that support the floor joists become debilitated by wood rot or other factors, which causes them to sink.
If your basement or crawl space is sagging in the middle, you may have a slab foundation with a void underneath the concrete. The void could have formed due to water seepage washing away the soil, or it might have developed from tree roots crawling under your concrete and leaving behind air pockets.
Windows and doors that start to stick can also indicate a problem with your foundations. The shifting movement in your foundations will cause the frames of your doors and windows to shift out of alignment, making it difficult for them to open or close.
Sticking Windows and Doors
When windows and doors become stuck, it clearly indicates something isn’t right. Whether it’s caused by humidity (Moisture penetrates the wood, swelling and bulging up against the frame and generating friction) or by foundation problems such as settlement or heave stemming from expansive soil, the results are similar: doors and windows that will not open or close easily.
It’s easy to pass off a sticking window or door as a quirk of an older home. But when the problem persists, it’s time to look closer at your property and see whether it could be a sign of serious foundation issues that need to be addressed with underpinning. The good news is, that once you fix the underlying cause of the problem, the door or window will become more easily operable once again. However, it’s always best to catch these problems early and take action before they become worse. This will save you money in the long run.
Gaps in the Walls and Floors
Few things make homeowners’ hearts sink quite like gaps forming between the walls and floor of their home. These gaps are not only a tripping hazard for kids and seniors but also indicate the presence of serious structural problems that need to be addressed immediately.
Gaps between the floors and walls are typically caused by a building’s foundation settling into poorly compacted, moisture-softened, or shrunken soils beneath. Cracks in the wall and floor usually accompany these gaps.
Windows and doors that won’t close or open properly are another common sign of a weak foundation that requires underpinning. Underpinning using push or helical piers will lift the foundation to a more stable position and prevent further damage. If you suspect your house’s foundation shows signs of sinking, contact a reputable engineering company that carries out underpinning. This solution can be a cost-effective way to strengthen your house and keep it safe for years.
