Home Foundation Problems

August 8, 2012 sarah Uncategorized

Homes, for most individuals in Toronto, are the greatest investment made in a life time. For that reason, protecting this financial investment is crucial for a person’s future and financial security. When a problem happens within the foundation, it can be expensive and be the root of lots of additional problems within the home.

 

Two Main Causes of Foundation Problems

 

Most foundation complications are the result of changing levels of moisture within the ground that the foundation is laid upon. Whether there is a gain in moisture due to poor drainage or a loss in moisture because of a drought, the end result is that the house starts to settle, frequently at a non-uniform rate due to the differing moisture levels in the ground. While foundations are built in such a way that it can resist expansion and contraction of a small range, the strain becomes too great when the foundation is not uniformly doing the expansion or contraction.

 

The second cause relates to improper building standards at the time of building. Before the foundation is laid, the ground is compacted to give uniform density to all the soil under the house. If certain areas are not compacted to the same degree, then house will settle at different rates creating faults in the foundation.

 

Visual Indications of Foundation Problems

 

Inspecting the outside of the home frequently will help ensure that possible issues will be caught in their early stages. Signs to look for are as follows: 

 

• Stuck windows, or hard to open and close windows
• Poorly opening and closing doors
• Gaps found on either side of the garage door and the pavement
• Spaces of fascia trim or at the corner
• Cracks
• In the outside bricks and mortar
• Exposed grade beam of the home
• Running diagonally in the wall at the corners of windows and/or doors

 

When the foundation has a problem, there can also be sign in the interior of the home.

• Floors that are not level
• Kitchen cabinets that have gaps above them
• Doors of cabinets that do not remain shut after closing them
• Diagonally running cracks in the wall from the corners of windows and doors
• Cracks and leaks around a fireplace
• Tearing and/or curling of sheetrock repairs

 

Contacting Professional’s About Repairs

 

If an individual thinks that his or her house might have an issue, then having a professional come to the site to evaluate the home is a sound idea. Keeping in mind that research is prudent before choosing a company that specializes in foundation repair services in Toronto, the web provides many sites that allow potential consumers to evaluate the nearby specialists.

 

It is also essential to note that several of the physical indications of a foundation issue are actually due to purely cosmetic damage. The foundation will settle over the lifetime of the structure, and some cracks will happen because of the typical expansion and contraction of the materials of the home. While no sign ought to be left unevaluated, cracks in sheetrock and floor tiles can be due to cosmetic reasons.