How to tell if a home foundation needs repair
We hear from so many of our clients that at some point during their home ownership, they ask themselves whether or not their home has foundation issues that need to be repaired. More often than not, these homeowners head to their computer and Google, “foundation repair near me”” but that doesn’t have to be the first step in finding out whether a home has foundation issues!
For one, homeowners who live in a home that was built in the 1950s or earlier should definitely have their foundation inspected immediately to see how it has been holding up. Those homeowners who live in a home that was built after 1950 should do an initial “quick diagnosis” of the health of their home’s foundation. If you are one of those homeowners, take a quick walk both around and inside your home and ask yourself the following questions:
- Is there any rainwater collecting around the home?
- Is the stucco finish around the home cracking?
- Are the home’s walls leaning or bowing in any way?
- Does the home’s roof leak, or does it appear warped anywhere?
- Are the home’s internal plaster walls showing any visible cracks?
- Are the home’s internal floors showing any visible cracks?
- Are the home’s internal floors level, or are they sloping or droopy?
- Do the home’s internal floor boards squeak when walked upon?
- Can you see any gaps between the walls and floors?
- Can you see any visible ceiling plaster cracks?
- Are any of the home’s doorways and window frames sticking?
- Have any of the home’s plumbing lines been leaking? Have any plumbing lines burst?
If you answered “Yes” to any of the questions above, then you definitely need to have a foundation specialist come and take a look at your home’s foundation. However, please do realize that even if you answered “no” to all these questions, your home’s foundation could still be damaged and you won’t necessarily know about it! Because it’s not always easy to tell if a foundation is in trouble, sometimes the best course of action is to get some free professional advice from foundation experts such as the ones at Weinstein Construction, who offer homeowners an absolutely free foundation inspection.
How does a foundation get damaged
As mentioned above, soil movement can definitely can damage a home’s foundation, but other natural events can also destroy a foundation, including water runoff that pools around the home, which can seep into the foundation and make it brittle. Moreover, excessive watering of trees and shrubs near the home can also allow water to percolate down to the foundation, causing it damage over time. And then of course, the strong power of earthquakes (both large and small) can quickly damage a foundation, especially one that it is already brittle from being exposed to water.
Is it safe to live in a house with foundation problems
Our clients often ask us if it is safe for them to live in a home with foundation problems, and we often say, it does really depend on what the foundation issues are! Look, foundation repairs in Los Angeles are very common because the soil that Los Angeles homes are built on is made out of soft clay that expands during the Rainy Seasons and contracts during the Dry Seasons. Such movements can cause concrete foundations that sit above the soil to become brittle, drop, buckle, and crack. But other natural forces can also damage a home’s foundation!
The professionals at Weinstein Construction are specialists in foundation repair and foundation replacement, as well as basement foundation waterproofing, leaky basement repair, and foundation cracks repair. We can also design and build French drain installation and employ drainage mitigation techniques! We will have the right solution at the right price! Call us today at (818) 855-5752 for a free inspection and review of your home’s foundation!
