4 Signs your Home’s Foundation is Sinking

The soil beneath your house has experienced natural settlement in numerous different layers over the course of numerous years. Each of these layers possesses varying characteristics, and this state of affairs may greatly impact the structural soundness of your home’s foundation and the structure installed on it. Once these different soil layers are incapable of supporting the weight of your house, its foundation will start to sink into the ground. When this occurs, your property will then be exposed to damage in a number of different ways, some being more overt than the others. Once you have an inkling of what to check for, the warning symptoms of foundation problems are unmistakable and it will be wise to act rapidly before the damage escalates. Here are 4 signs of a sinking foundation.

#1: Foundation wall cracking

This is one of the obvious symptoms, which can point to a sinking foundation. Yet, not all cracking on the walls of your foundation is a cause for concern, and some are indeed negligible. Shrinkage cracking is normal for a poured-in-place concrete foundation. This occurrence takes place while the concrete is curing within the 1st year after its installation, and in most cases, is harmless. Nevertheless, when cracking manifests itself years after your house was constructed or grows longer and wider over time, this is a clear indication the foundation is settling. Foundation walls cracking that is wider at the upper part than the lower part, could mean your foundation is falling away from itself. If you remark this, it is always prudent to enlist the services of a seasoned foundation repair contractor to inspect your foundation immediately.

#2: Cracking on the walls on top of windows and door frames

Drywall and plaster cracking is effortlessly easy to patch up, but you need to first understand what triggered it in the first place. First of all, it might be attributable to excessive moisture accumulation or an inferior mud job or tape job. However, it may also be caused by foundation issues. Should this be the case, you will notice the cracking reopening after every repair you effect. When cracks reopen, this points to your foundation shifting or is experiencing settlement. Alternatively, drywall cracking which happens around window and door corners or on the floor is usually linked to foundation movement. Should you place a level on window frames and they are unleveled, this is an indicator of foundation settlement? Also, watch out for nail pops. Nail pops take place when the drywall manifests damage at the areas where nails or screws are positioned. When the drywall shifts, the drywall mud covering the nails may pop off. This might be related to a settling foundation, particularly when you notice more than one nail pops.

#3: Doors and windows that stick out

Doors and windows which stick out are commonly seen in older houses. In some situations, this could be attributable to a moisture problem triggered by excessive humidity. Conversely, it could point to a sinking or settling foundation that makes the doors and windows to fall out of square.

#4: Sloping floors

Sloping floors on any level of your house might be caused by a serious foundation problem. When concrete floors (especially those of the basement) are sloping, it could be linked to a settling or heaving foundation. In either circumstance, you should quickly consult a foundation repair professional since such occurrences normally get worse over the passage of time. Generally speaking, sloping floors are almost always manifestations of foundation sinking challenges, and some are harder to resolve than others.