When is It Settling Versus a Foundation Problem?

The great question homeowners have about foundation repair – right beside how much is costs – is if this foundation issue a sign of a problem? Most homeowners know that foundations are prone to settling. Newly built houses will experience it in the first few years, but even beyond that, your house will continue to settle as the ground around it changes. Ideally, you want a house to be built on ground that will change very little or at least in a predictable way. However, for those that don’t know much about foundations, it can be difficult to tell what is settling and what is a problem.

The general key to telling a foundation problem apart from normal settling is that it will dramatically make itself known. A thin hairline crack in your slab usually isn’t a problem. However, thick cracks in your foundation, cracks in your walls, even cracks in your roof are a sign of a serious problem. Furthermore, bowing walls in the basement or water leakage are also signs of foundation problems and not just normal settling.

Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to tell what is normal settling and what is extreme, problem-causing settling before a problem becomes apparent. However, if you buy a home built on expansive soil or one with water issues around the foundation, you should anticipate foundation problems down the line. This means you will want to keep an eye out for changes and be proactive in inspections. Regular foundation inspections can help you discern what is normal settling and what is the beginning of a problem so you can get it repaired quickly.

If your foundation seems to be changing or having problems, contact us today. Dodson Foundation Repair can help you discern whether you need to take action or if your house is just going through natural foundation settling.