The national average cost of home foundation repairs is $4,500 with many well above that range. The best way to prevent costly foundation repairs is to monitor your home’s foundation often. Today we are discussing the 5 most common warning signs of foundation issues.
Aqua-Guard is well versed in foundation issues since moisture is the most common culprit! The good news is that keeping your home dry now will prevent water and foundation issues later!
Common Warning Signs of Foundation Issues
Exterior and Interior Cracks
No one wants to see a crack anywhere in or around their home. While some cracks are harmless, certain cracks are a surefire warning sign of foundation issues and should be evaluated and addressed as soon as possible.
Take a walk around the exterior of your home and look for cracks in the exterior walls and close to your home’s foundation. As homes age, they may naturally crack. Foundations settle and over time framing can begin to disintegrate and cracks may result.
Vertical cracks are the most common and not usually a cause for concern. These are due to settling and even new homes could see vertical cracks in less than a year. If they are
Horizontal cracks are more alarming. These are caused by water pressure on the walls of the foundation and are a definite warning sign of a foundation issue. Horizontal cracks running outside the home or on the interior should both be evaluated by a professional.
Diagonal cracks point to a shift in the home’s foundation and like horizontal cracks, they should be evaluated by a professional. Diagonal cracks are the result of an uneven shift in the home’s foundation. You may see a stair-step pattern of cracking between mortar joints. This is an example of diagonal cracking also.
One of the first lines of defense for the exterior foundation of your home is to make sure your gutters and downspouts are properly maintained and the ground around your home is graded so that water flows away from the structure.
A Damp Crawlspace or Basement
As mentioned earlier, water is usually the culprit when it comes to foundation issues. A damp crawlspace or basement is a warning sign of foundation issues in the future. Water will follow the path of least resistance so as it flows near your home’s foundation, if there is an entrance it will find it. This is why strong waterproofing methods are so important to keeping a strong foundation below your home.
Do you see moisture or condensation in your basement or crawlspace? Is condensation building in the areas? Is there standing water in your basement or crawlspace? Is there a damp or musty smell when you enter the area or come close to it? These are all warning signs of foundation issues that are caused by a damp crawlspace or basement.
Soft and Spongy Floors
When you walk into your home do you feel like you are bouncing? If the floors feel soft as you step or spongy, it could be a sign of sagging floor joists. The floor joists can deteriorate over time especially if moisture is present in your basement or crawlspace. Contact a professional for evaluation if you are feeling any bounce when you walk into your home.
Doors & Window Issues
Do your doors or windows stick when you try to open them? While you may have one difficult door or window if many or all of them stick then it is one of the warning signs of foundation issues. When a home is built, the doors and windows are plumb, meaning they are hung straight up and down like the walls of your home. If you find that doors or windows are sticking then it means that something has shifted in your foundation causing them to no longer be perfectly vertical.
Sinking Areas Around the Exterior of Your Home
As you walk the exterior of your home, look for areas where the ground appears to be sinking downward. This is a sign of water moving soil around your home’s foundation. As this water moves closer and closer to your foundation walls, it could find its way in and further deterioration will begin. Professional evaluation is needed but making sure the ground is graded properly and gutters and downspouts are directing water away from your home are the first steps.
Excessive Weeds Growing Around Your Home
Yes, we all have the occasional weeds that grow in our yards but if you notice continual excessive growth of weeds around the foundation of your home then it could be a warning sign of foundation issues in your future. What do weeds need to grow? Water. So if weeds are flourishing despite your best efforts, chances are they are getting lots of water to them. When these weeds are flourishing near your foundation that is a warning sign that water may be settling near the walls.
Aqua-Guard Waterproofing’s Solutions to Foundation Issues
The best way to prevent future foundation issues is by addressing these warning signs early on and keeping your basement or crawl space dry! Whether you have a basement or crawlspace, you can trust us to have your water problems solved.
Crawlspace waterproofing is the key to protecting your foundation from water damage. At Aqua-Guard Waterproofing, we have developed a unique crawlspace waterproofing system based on the laws of physics. It is uniquely designed to intercept rising groundwater before it ever reaches the crawlspace. Our signature waterproofing system permanently addresses all the areas water can penetrate your crawlspace.
Crawlspace encapsulation takes waterproofing one step further and prevents musty smells, mold and mildew growth, and pests from invading your crawlspace and ultimately your home. It can also greatly improve the air quality in your home above. In the past, venting was believed to be the key to keeping condensation and moisture from your crawlspace but we have now learned that sealing off the crawlspace is much more effective.
Basement waterproofing can prevent future foundation issues and also create another usable space in your home. Traditional basement waterproofing methods offered by other companies are often temporary. They tend to fall short of addressing the five areas where water can penetrate your basement. Aqua-Guard’s signature complete basement waterproofing system removes all of the risk factors that have been the downfall of other exterior waterproofing systems over time. As a result, our basement waterproofing system has never had a system failure or breach of warranty.
If you see any of the common warning signs of foundation issues in your home, contact us today for a free consultation. Let’s stop the problem before it starts!