Typically, you would assume some of the main signs of foundation damage would come from the bottom area of a home near the foundation. While the foundation itself can provide a lot of clues about any possible damage, you may also see signs of damage in other parts of your house.
When you spot obvious signs of damage, you want to complete repairs before the damage gets worse or the house needs major work to support the foundation again. Learn about three signs of foundation damage to be on the lookout for outside of the crawlspace and basement. Along with your own visual inspections, you can hire professionals to inspect the damage as well.
Chimney Leaning
The chimney on the exterior of your home can provide a lot of clues to foundation issues. A chimney will typically run from the basement of your home all the way to the roof and can signal damage easily. In the base of the chimney, you will look for any signs of prominent cracks.
As you look toward the top of the chimney, you can see some clear signs. Specifically, you should look for signs of chimney-leaning. A leaning chimney means the chimney will essentially pull away from the house and lean off to the side.
Chimney leaning could not only present major foundation problems but could lead to bigger issues. For example, the chimney could break away completely from the house and fall to the ground. If the chimney is located near a driveway or other area, then you could have a lot of damage to deal with, including potential vehicle damage.
A settling foundation can result in movement that causes the chimney to settle unevenly and pull away. Foundation repair companies can fix foundation issues and help stabilize the chimney and possibly recover the settling line the chimney up with the side of the house again.
Door & Window Cracks & Jams
An unstable foundation will put uneven pressure on any areas around the home. Any settlement may show up as cracks on door frames, windows and front steps. On both the first and second stories of the home, you want to look for uneven door jams, and cracks around the window frames. Cracks will typically extend diagonally out from the corners of the window.
You may not see damage on the actual window, but damage could extend on the siding, brick or stucco of the home. From a ground-level view, you may not notice the cracks right away. Ideally, you would want to get on a ladder to look closer or use an item like a pair of binoculars if you suspect any damage.
If you still have concerns, you could contact a foundation repair company to complete a full inspection of your home. They can use their experience and special tools to investigate the situation and help determine if repairs in your house are needed. Once foundation repairs are complete, you can look into exterior repairs so the doors & windows remain functional.
Along with cracks on the outside, you may notice issues with doors & windows on the interior of the home. Mainly, the way you used to operate the windows could have dramatically changed. For example, you could find it hard to open windows. The windows may jam and typical movements may not feel so smooth.
If the windows have operated fine and were kept in good condition, then the foundation may be the source of the issue. Foundation settlement issues could cause slight movement of the framing in the house and result in a window that doesn’t sit completely straight like it used to. Even if you replace the windows, the problem could happen again and will not resolve itself until the foundation issues get taken care of.
Drywall Cracking
The drywall in your home is a great indicator of your home’s overall health. Your drywall is supported by the framing and framing supported by the foundation so any foundation movement can translate to the drywall. Diagonal cracking, around door & windows, large seem cracks in the drywall and compression/separation cracking in corners or where walls meet the ceiling are all indicators of foundation movement.
You may not notice a crack starting as you live in your home on a daily basis, but once you do discover them, you should address them sooner rather than later. Delaying diagnosis of the cause of the drywall cracking can cost more in repairs down the road. Hairline cracking may be normal wear and tear on the home as heat fluctuations on the south side of the home or installation of a new roof. But multiple cracks in a particular area of a home combined with misaligned doors & windows or sloping floors can be signs of foundation movement.
For all of your foundation needs, contact us at Straight Line Construction. We offer affordable foundation repair and can complete a full inspection of your home. You don’t want to put off any issues, especially when you see signs of damage beyond just the foundation of your house.