No home is flawless. Every house, new or old, has some issues—some more serious than others. As a homeowner, the real trick is identifying potential issues early and knowing your red flags from typical wear and tear.
Foundation issues are one of the most problematic home problems to watch out for. However, the severity of a foundation issue can vary widely. To identify the severity of a foundation issue situation, take a look at the flowchart below:
It’s a good idea to tape indicating marks when you see cracks begin to emerge to track the progression. While foundation cracks scare off most home buyers, the reality is, nearly every house will require foundation repair in its lifetime. Purchasing a house with a properly fixed foundation means buying a home that shouldn’t require foundation repair again.
Now that your cracks have their own, individual threat levels, let’s take some time to really understand what causes the foundation of your home to crack.
Excessive moisture beneath a home causes the soil to expand and contract. Doors and windows begin to stick during the wet months due to the pressure put on the home through soil expansion. Uneven moisture, such as a leaky gutter on one side of the house, also causes soil expansion and results in cracks.
The primary reason for foundation cracking and waterproofing issues is improperly drained residences. Water resting against the foundation of the house puts excess pressure against the foundation, and even in scenarios that don’t include soil contraction and expansion moisture damage is common. It’s only a matter of time until the hairline cracks expand and leaking occurs.
While most foundations crack due to moisture, structural issues can also lead to cracking. Poorly planned homes with foundations that can’t bear the total weight, or a portion of the home, can exhibit foundation cracks. In addition, an improperly prepared home site may cause the home to settle in loose soil—resulting in cracks and structural damage.
A structural engineer can act as a third party expert before you begin taking bids on a project. They can identify the source of the problem by investigating your foundation and its surrounding soil, draw up a plan for repairing the issues, and in the end, make sure it doesn’t happen again.
No matter the cause, when cracks occur, the foundation will leak—and you’ll need to contact a company that specializes in both basement waterproofing and foundation repair to address the issues.
