New Year, New Fixes Around the Home
It’s almost time for the new year, and that means it’s also time to take stock of your home. If you haven’t recently done a walkthrough of your home, now is the time to get this out of the way. Enjoy feeling comfortable and safe in your home without having a worry in the back of your mind about cracks, sticking doors, sloping floors, or other foundation problems. Now it the time. In this article, we’ll give you a brief rundown of some things to look out for, what they could be caused by, and some of the possible solutions we may suggest.
Things to Look Out for in Your Home
When you do a general walkthrough of your home, there a few things that you should look out for. Number one, determine what kind of foundation that you have. Is it a crawlspace, a basement, a slab, etc.? This will inform the rest of your “inspection” of your home. Next, you will want to go outside of your home and inspect the foundation. Do you see cracks? Are they diagonal, vertical, stairstep? Write these things down or take pictures so that you can look back later. Do you see any holes or broken pieces on your foundation? Is it bowing? Check all of these things and write them down so you can refer back if you should need to call a contractor.
After you’ve done an outside walkthrough, head back inside and check out your walls, ceilings, and floors. Do the walls and ceilings have cracks? Do the windowsills have gaps? Are the doors and windows sticking? Does the floor not meet the wall flush? Is your floor sloping? Any of these problems could be associated with foundation damage. After you’re done, head down to the basement or into the crawl space if you can. In the basement look for cracks, water damage, or bowing walls. In the crawlspace, look for water damage mainly. If you don’t see anything, you’re a very lucky homeowner! Most people will at least have a few cracks due to natural settlement. However, if you are seeing lots of warning signs, it’s time to call the experts at Basement Authority of WV who can perform a free estimate and determine what the problem is.
Possible Causes of Foundation Damage
There are lots of different causes of foundation damage, and they will vary based on what the issue is. However, some of the main causes of foundation damage are homes being built on shifting or settling soils. Settlement caused by improper footings or shifting soils. Tree roots growing into the foundation walls, or hydrostatic pressure pushing soil against the foundation walls and causing bowing is another big one. Another reason is unprofessional contractors not knowing what they’re doing when they’re building a home. The specific causes of your foundation problem are unique to your specific property, and we will let you know when we perform our free estimate.
Solutions for Foundation Problems
Additionally, the solution to your foundation problem will vary depending on what the issue is. While a waterproofing problem is solved differently than a foundation problem, a problem with sticking doors could be different than a problem with cracks in the wall. However, this will all be determined during your free estimate by one of our expert contractors. Some of the main ways that we resolve foundation problems are through foundation underpinning. Many times, we will use push piers or helical piers to support the foundation. These are driven deep into stable ground to give your foundation a solid place to sit. They are attached to the home by steel plates and gently raised, especially in the case of settlement. In the case of bowing walls or other issues around the home, there could be different methods used. Ask us about the different methods that we use to resolve foundation problems!
Do You Have a Problem With Your Foundation?
If you have a problem with your foundation, it’s time to call Basement Authority of WV. Whether you’re not sure or you know, it’s okay to call! A free estimate can’t hurt you, and you can get multiple free estimates from different companies if you’d like. Contact us today to get started on a new year with your home.
Publish Date:
Last Modified Date:
Our Locations
132 Rocky Step Rd.,
Scott Depot, WV 25560