The 4 Basic Indoor Warning Signs Of A Failing Foundation Norcross, GA
Houses settle over time, and a little unevenness isn’t cause for panic. At the same time, you’ll want to be alert to these warning signs that more dramatic changes are taking place:
- A door begins to jam or fails to latch.
- Cracks appear in walls, especially over doorways, windows, or where walls meet ceilings.
- Cracks open in vinyl or ceramic tile over a concrete floor.
- Windows that used to open and close easily suddenly begin to stick or won’t close completely.
Check the Outside
Moving outside, check to see if your foundation is straight by sighting down the length of your foundation wall from each corner. The walls should be basically straight, both up and down and from side to side. Check for leaning walls with a level.
A bulge or curve in either a block foundation or a poured concrete wall could signal that the foundation has shifted, or that the soil around your foundation may be expanding and contracting, putting pressure on walls.
Probe Concrete for Weakness
If your house has a poured perimeter foundation and the concrete appears to be chipping and flaking, poke it in a few places with a sturdy screwdriver. The concrete should be so hard that you can’t damage it.
If you manage to chip it or break a piece off, the concrete could be deteriorating because the mix contained dirty or salty sand, or too much water. This problem, common in homes built in the early 1900s in some parts of the country, has no remedy short of a new foundation.
Contact the professionals at Foundation Worx for more information! 404-662-5173