First Signs of Foundation Problems

Your home's foundation is literally the pinnacle of your home's livelihood. It provides support to the load-bearing and weight distribution of your home, anchors against natural forces (tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.), and repels against ground moisture, so a homeowner can understand the anxiety and worry caused when issues begin to arise. However, there are typical foundation settlement occurrences that happen before the damages spiral into a more severe issue. The below outlines a list of common problems seen around home's that are beginning to experience foundation problems.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING?

• Cracks in the brick, sheetrock, or basement walls
• Foundation cracks
• Water leakage in basement or around your foundation
• Uneven floors   
• Windows or doors sticking
• Basement walls are bowing or leaking
• Sinking ground around your exterior foundation

Keep in mind, not all of these problems can mean immediate foundation repairs. Some of the issues may be repairable with crack sealing, waterproofing solutions, or polyjacking (foam to raise and level out your concrete).  However, if you did answer yes to any of the above concerns, you should reach out to a local foundation repair company for an expert opinion. Not all foundation repair companies offer free estimates, so be sure to find one that does. What else can you look for in a reputable foundation repair company? Check out the below checklist:

• Google reviews... read through the reviews (both good and bad) to understand how the company typically operates their business
• References - were you referred to the company? If so, how was the referrals experience? If not, did you find the company on Google, social media, Thumbtack, Angi's? Ask the foundation repair company for a list of recent projects they completed. They should offer you the contact information for those recent projects, so you can speak candidly about their experience. If they are hesitant about sharing past job references, be leery.
• Warranty - what type of warranty is offered? 5 year? 10? 15? Understand the terms of the warranty before signing the agreement.
• Length of time in business - is this company less than 5 years old? Be cautious with companies that aren't well-established if you don't have a personal referral. You want to make sure they'll be around to honor that warranty.
• Experience - how long have the foundation techs been in the industry? Another aspect with foundations is the soil composition. Is the company from the area your home is located in? As an example, PierMagic Foundation Specialists is located in the Kansas City metro area and studies and understands the clay soil composition specific to that area. Some foundation companies are headquartered in another state or even across the country, and know nothing about your soil. Again, soil composition is huge to foundation installation, repairs, and maintenance. Read more about soil and foundations here.

When a foundation repair company inspects your foundation, they will be able to provide a better assessment of your foundation problems. Do they need immediate repairs; do they need to be monitored; or are the issues nothing detrimental to your foundation?

RELATED: 9 Tell-Tale Signs It's Time to Call Foundation Repair Experts!