5 Symptoms of a Shifting Foundation - And When to Call for Basement Foundation Repair
Doors Sticking? Basement Wall Cracks? Nail Pops? Find Out More About House Settling from Kansas City’s Foundation Specialists
When your home’s foundation shifts, this typically means that the strong, established base upon which your home was built is experiencing changes primarily due to weather conditions or aging.
While some of this shifting is to be expected, house settling can also open up your home to various kinds of damage, affecting your safety, personal property, and your overall investment. When homeowners mention their foundation issues are caused by house settling and are normal, a foundation inspection should take place. No foundation settling should normally cause additional damage or concerns.
It is important to have a trustworthy expert on the homeowner’s side to help you understand what’s normal and what needs to be addressed by a professional. In the Kansas City area, PierMagic is the leading team for basement foundation repair, rated above all other foundation repair companies in Kansas City.
Our foundation specialists can observe any signs that your foundation is shifting - like sticking doors and bowing walls - and ensure that your foundation is carefully inspected and expertly repaired when needed. The PierMagic team offers free inspections and will offer a health check as a guide to determine what repairs are needed immediately and those that can just be monitored.
First, Why Do Foundations Shift? Our Basement Foundation Repair Team Weighs In
Why are my doors sticking? Is my house “just” settling? The PierMagic team wants to make sure these kinds of questions are answered and the homeowner is educated on foundation repair needs in Kansas City. The most important place to begin answering the questions is by explaining why foundations shift in the first place. The biggest causes of a shifting foundation are soil conditions, tree roots, and the aging of your home. Each of these factors plays a role in affecting the strength and integrity of your foundation’s walls.
- Soil : The soil in Kansas City is mainly clay, which absorbs water very slowly. This means that it’s very easy for the soil to dry up. Now imagine this soil packed around the foundation of your home. Imagine it getting dry and shrinking away from its former place as a natural foundation surrounding your constructed foundation. When this shrinking occurs, your foundation walls begin to move, as there is nothing to keep them as stable as they need to be. Kansas City homeowners are often searching for “foundation repair companies near me,” which is beneficial if the company is local, and actually has experience with Kansas and Missouri soil. Too many foundation repair companies are nationally operated and have hubs throughout the Kansas and Missouri areas, but are unfamiliar with the soil. On the other hand, imagine that Kansas City gets a significant amount of rain after a drought. The water has to go somewhere, and it’s going to take time for Kansas City soil to absorb it, little by little. Imagine then that the water begins pooling around your foundation when it is unable to be absorbed. This can create foundation damage, causing your foundation to move as the water erodes the walls and floor. Further, there are instances in Kansas City where - eventually - our clay soil does finally absorb a lot of water, and the soil bulges against the foundation as it expands. Events like these put pressure against your foundation, causing it to shift.
- Tree and Bush Roots : As plant and tree roots grow, they can begin to put pressure on your home’s foundation, especially if they were planted too close to the home.
- Natural aging : When your home ages, it settles. However, this house settling doesn’t happen the same way in every home. Depending on how your foundation was constructed - and the natural shifts that occur over time - a foundation’s settling can be harmless or damaging. That’s why it’s important to have a foundation specialist take a look and provide their expertise - along with a free estimate, if needed.
How Do I Know If My Foundation Is Shifting? PierMagic Answers This Common Question About Basement Foundation Repair
It’s important to have a sense of why foundations shift. One of our priorities at PierMagic is to make sure you feel educated about foundations and basement foundation repair , so you can make informed decisions for the safety and protection of your home. If you are noticing any of the signs below, you have a good reason to get in touch with PierMagic, so we can customize a solution that fits your home’s needs related to shifting and settling.
The tell-tale signs of a shifting and settling house are many, but these five symptoms are some of the most common:
- Cracks on interior or exterior walls
- Sticking doors and windows (on any floor of the home)
- Basement walls leaning in or out
- New gaps between your molding and the ceiling
- Sunken or uneven foundation floors
Each of these signs are noticeable to homeowners, and are good reasons to contact a foundation specialist. These signs are clear indicators that some amount of change has occurred in your home’s foundation, and should be looked at by a professional who can assure you that your foundation is in good shape or can recommend repairs as needed.
There are additional symptoms of settling that Kansas CIty residents have noticed, and are indicators that PierMagic’s professionals should make an inspection:
- Nail pops
- Patios or porches that have pulled away from the home
- Wallpaper creases and wrinkles
- Space between caulking and your windows and doors
- A sloping foundation floor
PierMagic Can Solve Any Basement Foundation Repair Problem, Including House Settling
We’re highly trusted and the first company to be recommended by contractors and home repair businesses when they need to call a foundation specialist. Perhaps even more importantly, our customers continue their relationships with us throughout the long life of their homes.
PierMagic offers straightforward, expert-level foundation solutions to take care of your foundation and your home as a whole, whether you’re experiencing house settling, water in your basement , or when you want to ensure your newly finished basement provides the maximum return on investment, and many other key solutions that PierMagic has perfected over the years.
If your home is experiencing the symptoms of shifting - including sticking doors and cracks in the basement walls - call PierMagic at (816) 765-4800 or send us a message online. We look forward to helping you maintain a healthy home for years to come.
