Home buyers, do you suspect structural foundation damage?
Shopping for a new home can be exciting. Before you buy a home, one of the things you should do is have it checked for
structural foundation damage. You don’t want to be surprised after you move in to find a crack in the foundation that will require expensive repairs. Living in a home that doesn’t have a solid foundation is dangerous.
As a prospective home buyer, here’s what to look for to spot cracks in the foundation.
1- Uneven floors. If the floor appears cracked, sagging, or warped it could be a sign of a cracked foundation. Sloping floors are caused by the home’s foundation settlement or sinking.
2- Bowing or Bulging Exterior Walls. The most common cause of bowing or bulging foundation walls is from excess pressure from the soil around the foundation.
3- Moisture in the Basement. Walk in the crawl space and in the basement to see if there is condensation or water leaking in from the foundation.
4- Sloping floors. If a floor is uneven, it could be a sign of foundation damage.
5- Walls that are Out of Plumb. When a wall is out of plumb, it could be a sign of structural damage. To check if walls are plumb lay a level against it.
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Winter is almost upon us and you know what that means. That’s right, higher energy bills! But, this shouldn’t be your only concern. There’s another sinister problem that can happen and make things worse. What is this issue? A leaky basement.
If your basement isn’t professionally waterproofed, the excessive precipitation and cold temperatures that come with the season can cause issues that will eventually weaken the foundation of your home. For instance, as the snow around your home begins to melt, moisture can seep into the foundation and cause leaks in the basement. Other issues that can harm the structural integrity of your home include:
- Melting Snow: During the warmer winter days, melting snow turns the ground to mush. This sudden influx of moisture can increase the hydrostatic pressure on the ground. While this may not sound like such a big deal, hydrostatic pressure generates enough force to actually push the foundation, which can lead to cracks and water seepage.
- Freezing/Thawing: Temperature change can also spell trouble for your foundation. When the water that has seeped into the concrete freezes, it swells and makes the foundation heave. When the water thaws, it contracts, making the foundation settle. All this movement can cause cracks to form.
- Frozen pipes and discharge lines: If the pipe that’s connected to your sump pump
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One of the most dangerous things that can happen in your home is basement flooding. If your basement floods, it can present both an immediate threat to your safety and cause long term damage to your home. It is essential that you do everything you can to protect yourself against basement flooding so that you and your home are safe. If your basement has flooded, you need to call an expert right away. Continue reading →
If you’ve found your basement has suddenly sprung a leak, you may be wondering what happened. A quick inspection may help you find the source of the leak, though if you have a basement moisture problem it is always best to have a professional take a look. Here are the most common causes of basement leaks and what needs to be done to fix them. Continue reading →
Fall is the perfect time to implement some new landscape features. The cooler weather is ideal for outdoor work and with perennials entering hibernation and annuals dying, you don’t have to worry about destroying your existing features to upgrade your yard. One of the most important things you can do for the safety of your home is to ensure that your landscape has proper drainage. This will not only reduce the standing water that attracts pests and damages your lawn, flowers, shrubs, and trees, but will reduce the hydrostatic pressure around your home that can cause basement moisture and damage your foundation. Here are five different landscape drainage solutions you can implement in your yard: Continue reading →
With how common it is to find cracks in the basement floor, it is no wonder why many homeowners don’t even notice them until water begins seeping through. Continue reading →
Planning to have your basement waterproofed any time soon? Here are a few do’s and don’ts of basement waterproofing that you should know before getting started. Continue reading →
Crawl spaces are the most overlooked area of the home. Since crawl spaces offer no living space and in most cases, no storage, we can often forget they are an important part of our home. Crawl spaces are important for the structural integrity of the home. They are also very important to the health and wellbeing of you and your family. So they should not be ignored. Here are the most common crawl space problems and what you can do about them. Continue reading →
One of the most common places to find a basement leak is around the window. Window frames wear from age and can warp under the pressure of the house settling. Basement window leaks can start as a nuisance but can lead to some major problems. Leaks can cause severe damage to the structural integrity of your basement walls and create health problems like mold and mildew. So it is important that if your basement window is leaking, you have the problem fixed right away. Continue reading →
If you hear that a storm is coming your way, there are a few things you can do to help prepare yourself and prevent water from heading into your basement. The main thing you have to remember is to keep as much water as possible away from the foundation of your home. With a few of these helpful tips, you should have no problem keeping moisture out of your basement during the storm. Continue reading →
