How can you tell if you have foundation issues
If you have been asking yourself, how can I tell if my foundation is in trouble? Well, the answer is, it’s not always easy to tell! The first thing that you can do is walk around your house and inspect your floors, your walls, and your ceiling and ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my floor level? Does my floor squeak when I walk around?
- Can I see any cracks on the walls around my doors and windows?
- Are my windows and doors sticking?
Even if you answered “no” to all the above questions, we would still urge you to be somewhat concerned and as such, reach out for some free professional advice from waterproofing and foundation repair experts such as the ones at Weinstein Construction, where you can find a dedicated contractor foundation repair specialist.
What other issues can happen when a home has foundation problems
Occasionally, when you need foundation cracks repair, you may also find that your home requires some waterproofing or repairs in your basement. These may include:
- Leaky basement repair
- Basement waterproofing
- Basement wall crack repair
- Basement wall sealing
- Basement wall cracks repair
- Basement foundation waterproofing
What percentage of Los Angeles homes have foundation problems
In Southern California, and especially in Los Angeles, our unique type of clay soil makes homes vulnerable to subsidence and cracking, and foundation problems are a common occurrence! Think of it this way: when soil that contains a large amount of clay comes into contact with water during the Rainy Season, the soil expands and swells. Then, when summer comes along, the soil dries out and contracts. This expansion and contraction, season-after-season, year-after-year, can slowly and literally break apart your home’s foundation! Add to this the violent shaking power of the frequent earthquakes we experience here in Los Angeles, and what you get are foundations that are stressed beyond their tolerances!
At what age do houses have foundation issues
At this point, you are probably trying to remember how old your home is, and you are wondering whether older homes are more prone to having foundation issues, and unfortunately, the answer to that question is yes. Foundation problems are especially common in homes that were built during the building boom of the 1950s and 60s and earlier. In those decades, home builders in the Los Angeles region poured concrete slabs as thin as two inches over unstable top soil that was not properly compacted. Such thin concrete foundations were also poured without the use of steel rebar reinforcement, which left them even more brittle over time.
Moreover, the building errors of older homes in Los Angeles were especially compounded by improper swale drainage of water around the structure, and especially for homes built on a hillside, even if they used caissons construction or even pilings for support! And so, yes, slab foundations from the 1950s and 60s, and especially homes pre-1950 that used unreinforced concrete, bricks or river rocks as foundations, are all especially susceptible to foundation damage.
Is a damaged or cracked foundation covered by homeowners insurance
If you are wondering whether your homeowner’s insurance will cover your foundation damage, the answer is typically no, because most homeowners do not choose to purchase the expensive insurance policies that cover subsidence or landslide damage! As such, it is incredibly important for homeowners to be vigilant and inspect regularly their home’s foundation. It’s always going to be much cheaper and quicker to take care of minor damage today than have to pay for a full foundation replacement later on!
Are foundation cracks repair expensive
One of our clients called us recently, asking how big of a foundation crack is considered to be “serious” in nature, and whether it was even worth fixing just small cracks in a home’s foundation. Well, these are very good questions, and it’s actually really interesting to note that even if a foundation is already damaged, one can get it repaired fairly easily if the damage is not too extensive. For example, foundation cracks up to a ¼ inch wide can be filled with epoxy that solidifies and reconnects the two portions of the foundation together. In other cases, reinforced steel rods can be anchored in place and sealed with new concrete. And the thing about small cracks, they typically turn into big and expensive cracks! So of course, it’s always less expensive to fix a small crack, so don’t let small cracks become big ones! The foundation repair professionals at Weinstein Construction can fill you in on all of these details – they have a solution to fit every budget!
How do I choose a foundation company
If you are a typical LA homeowner, you never think about your home’s foundation, and how long it will last. In fact, when was the last time you thought about your home’s foundation? For many of our clients, the first time they pay attention to their home’s foundation is when their floors and walls begin to crack, or when they are trying to sell the property and their buyer’s home inspector gives them the bad news that their foundation is damaged!
Weinstein Construction’s professionals can offer you a free, no-obligation inspection of your foundation, as this is one of those situations where getting an early warning can make all the difference! If you are able to catch damage early, you may just need to repair a few cracks and improve the drainage around your house, for example, by using French drainage installation to funnel rainwater away from your property.
If you are asking, “are there foundation repair companies near me?” or “are there foundation specialists near me?” then the answer is YES! When homeowners have a problem, Weinstein Construction’s Los Angeles home foundation repair crews 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!
