Exterior Signs You Need Foundation Repair
Identifying signs of foundation damage can be as simple as noticing excessive moisture in the basement or as complicated as trying to decide which foundation cracks are structural and which are nothing to worry about. To make it a little bit easier for you to see foundation damage in your own home, be sure to keep the following in mind. Do you already know you need foundation repair services in the Milwaukee area? Contact the waterproofing and foundation experts at Zablocki Waterproofing.
Leaning Walls
One of the simplest ways to identify a home’s foundation issues is to give it a full exterior once over to check if your walls are straight. A curve in the wall, for example, could indicate that the wall is rotating due to uneven settling. To check for leaning or rotating walls, sight down the length of the home’s foundation walls from each corner, looking for leaning, bulges, curves, and other signs of damage. Leaning walls or bulging concrete could both indicate excessive pressure on your home due to soil issues.
Weak Concrete
Many homes built in the early 1990s were built using poured concrete foundations, but the concrete mix used contained too much water or had some other problem, causing it to deteriorate over time. If you notice that your concrete foundation is chipped or flaking away, you may be dealing with this weak concrete. To find out, use a screwdriver to try and chip the concrete. If it is as strong as it’s supposed to be, you won’t be able to damage it.
Cracked Driveway or Sidewalks
To say that a home has a foundation issue is actually a bit of a misnomer. When a home’s foundation has problems, they’re are typically caused by soil issues, not actually anything wrong with the foundation itself. Soil compaction and expansion is the root cause of most foundation issues. Take it as a red flag if the soil on your property has already damaged your driveway or sidewalks or if the road you live on is excessively roller-coaster-esque.
Siding/Trim Separation
When your foundation moves due to pressure from the soil around it, it can put pressure on other parts of your house, such as siding joints, around trim, and where fascia boards meet. Check these
things to see if there is any separation or pulling away. You might also notice separation gaps around your windows and doors.
Addition Separation
A similar red flag would be if you notice a home addition or patio begin to pull away from the house. You may also notice that you need your deck restored where it meets the house. Additions separating from the structure indicates movement in the structure of the home, most likely caused by problems with your foundation due to soil expansion or contraction.You may also notice chimneys and other building elements pulling away.
Stair-Step Cracks
Just as you should watch for siding separation on a home mostly covered in siding, you should keep an eye on the exterior of your brick or stonework home as well. One big red flag to watch out for is stair-step cracking, which could indicate a moving/shifting foundation.
If you notice any of these signs around your home, don’t put off the foundation repair your home needs. Trust your foundation repair needs to Zablocki Waterproofing. We’ve been keeping the Milwaukee area dry since 1985, so you can rest assured that we have the experience and knowledge needed to take care of your foundation repair needs quickly, efficiently, and affordably. Contact us online today with any questions you may have. Otherwise, schedule your free consultation now to discover how we can help you with foundation repair. See the buttons below.
