As a homeowner, maintenance and repair of your home is an expected expense. Your home’s foundation is the most important part of your home. Ensuring that you carry out foundation repair New Jersey in good time will ensure that you avoid serious problems that can result in your using thousands of dollars to fix an even worse situation. It is therefore important to learn how to identify these problems as soon as possible.
Warning signs
Houses are designed to be dynamic. They move and settle over a period of time. This is natural. However, when the settling occurs unevenly, then there is need for concern. It is therefore important to stay alert and keep track of any dramatic changes or early warning signs including:
- A door in your house begins to ham or the latch fails to fit. This may be a sign that the foundation is shifting.
- The appearance of cracks on the walls. Cracks on walls when there is a foundation problem cracks usually occur over windows, doorways and where the wall meets the ceiling.
- The appearance of cracks in your floor tiles or on your concrete floors
- When windows in your home that used to open or close easily begin sticking or can’t close completely.
Checking for foundation problems
Foundation repair New Jersey can cost you thousands of dollars if the problems are not identified early enough and are allowed to develop into serious problems. It is therefore important to develop a routine of checking your home for signs of foundation problems.
It is important to retain the services of a professional contractor to carry out maintenance and repair on your foundation at least once a year. However, it is also important to carry out your own personal checks every so often. This will ensure that any problems with your foundation are identified early.
Here’s how to check foundation problems:
- Check the perimeter
Carry out a visual check of the outside of your foundation. Walk along the length of the foundation and check the walls from corner to corner. The walls should be straight from side to side as well as from up to down.
If there is any sign of leaning, bulging or curving then the foundation may have shifted. It may be that the soil around your foundation is expanding, contracting or placing some pressure on the walls of your foundation.
- Check the concrete
If you have a poured concrete foundation, check to see if there is chipping of flaking. You can do this by poking it with a study screwdriver. A good concrete foundation should be very hard. It shouldn’t get damaged when poked by the screwdriver.
If you manage to break of chip at the surface, then the concrete may be deteriorating. It may have been mixed with too much water, salty or dirty sand. Contact a contractor as soon as possible to fix this problem.
- Check the structure
There are various aspects of the foundation aside from the perimeter wall. If you have a crawl space of basement, be sure to check the concrete supports, posts or piers used to support the home. These should be standing firmly and straight. They should be firmly planted on the concrete piers beneath.
Cracks in foundations
Foundational cracks are the most important sign of a problem with the foundation. It is therefore important to identify what type of crack you’re dealing with. Different types of cracks include:
- Hairline cracks indicate minor problems and shouldn’t be a cause for worry
- Stair step cracks occurring in masonry joints indicate bulging of walls or moisture problems
- Horizontal cracks are the most serious. They are indicative of serious damage to the foundation. You may need a completely new foundation.