A strong foundation is essential for maintaining a home’s value, stability, and safety. In California, geological conditions and earthquakes greatly affect home foundations. Additionally, landscaping and San Andreas faults have occurred in California.
That’s why the foundation’s health is key to maintaining safety. When the foundation is strong enough, it can bear the earth’s quack jerks and maintain your home’s safety.
On the other hand, earthquakes are not the only reason for damage to the home’s foundation. Some of the other main reasons are the soil condition, a bad drainage system, tree roots, and poor construction. Therefore, different signs of foundation issues can be visualized.
In this case, there are different home inspection companies in California that can identify these issues and help you fix them ASAP. However, when it comes to safety and health, you must approach the certified and professional home inspection company, Elite Inspections, to get to know the condition of the home’s foundation. But how would you know whether your home has foundation issues? In this blog, we will discuss some common signs that indicate that your foundation is compromised.
Sign. 1 Cracks in the Walls
The American Geoscience Institute provides an interactive map of faulty activity, which helps homeowners determine whether their home is in faulty or near-faulty condition. Cracks in the walls are a common sign that your foundation needs to be maintained. Multiple reasons can contribute to cracks in the foundation walls. These reasons include:
- Building stress on the foundation
- Soil movement like expansion
- Poor drainage system
- Water seeping into the walls
Usually, there are two types of cracks shown on the home’s foundation walls, and those are:
Vertical cracks
The vertical cracks are caused by the building load or stress. The weight of the building applies pressure to the foundation, and the cracks are visible in its walls. In short, when you see vertical cracks in the foundation, you must remember these issues and fix them as soon as possible.
Horizontal cracks
These cracks are alarming, and immediate action must be taken to fix them. The common reasons for horizontal cracks are earthquakes and soil movement. The building undoubtedly applies pressure vertically, but cracks in different directions can lead to major problems.
You need to take immediate action to fix these issues so that you can prevent yourself from facing any major problems in the future.
Sign. 2 Windows and Doors Not Closing Properly
If your home’s windows and doors aren’t closing properly, then that clearly indicates that the foundation is misaligned. In California, there is a high chance of foundation misalignment during earthquakes. After a minor earthquake, the structural frame suddenly shifts, and you notice that your windows and doors do not work as well as before. That’s why you face a problem latching them. Due to the movement or shaking, the foundation cracks and creates a gap in the windows and door frame.
Sign. 3 Poor Drainage System
A poor drainage system creates a lasting impression on the foundation. It allows the wastewater to seep into the foundation, and the foundation walls start to weaken, and cracks usually appear in the walls. So, having your drainage system built by an experienced builder is compulsory. They will help you to make a proper drainage system that does not affect your foundation walls. You can also schedule regular home inspections so that if your foundation faces any problems, you can fix them early. This will prevent future major problems. It will also help maintain your safety and the property’s value.
Sign. 4 Slopping Floor
A sloping floor is a clear indication that there is a problem in your home, which is why it is sagging. Sometimes, you can feel this problem easily, but sometimes, you need to pay close attention to identify this issue.
Signs of an Uneven Floor
These are the signs that indicate that there are some issues with your floor (or maybe it is uneven):
Things are not in Balance
Pay attention to the floor. You may notice that things are not sitting properly; they bow to one side. This is a clear sign that your floor is not balanced.
Feel Underfoot
Sometimes, you feel underfoot on your home’s floor. This is a sign that your foundation is misaligned. In this case, you need to hire a foundation inspector to identify all the problems that might turn out major in the future.
Gap Between Floor and Baseboards
The common problem with uneven floors is the gap between the floor and baseboards. This could be another reason why most of the things do not sit properly on the floor.
Sign. 5 Poor Construction
Sometimes, the builder you have chosen to construct a home does not use quality materials. Due to the low-quality materials, your home loses strength, resulting in cracks in the walls. Poor construction can lead to issues such as weakening the home’s infrastructure. That’s why hiring an experienced builder who can prevent you from facing such problems with the infrastructure is necessary.
Sign. 6 Water Leakage from the Basement
Water leakage in the basement has a major effect on the foundation. In this scenario, water seeps into the walls and cracks the foundation walls, weakening the home’s infrastructure. So, it’s important to fix the water leakage problem in the basement immediately before it becomes a major problem.
Conclusion
The foundation acts like a home’s backbone. We hope the common signs discussed above will help you learn about your home’s structural health. A healthy and strong foundation maintains a home’s safety and value. Therefore, homeowners must pay close attention and schedule a regular home inspection with a certified home inspection company.
We recommend approaching a certified home inspection company, such as Elite Inspections, to get affordable and reliable home inspection services.
