Without a strong foundation, the strength of a structure may weaken over time. Homes and buildings need a solid foundation to hold the structure in place and keep it fully intact. On the contrary, a poorly built foundation can be hazardous to the occupants and everything in its path, especially high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. Therefore, it is very important to get a highly qualified professional that uses top-notch materials and products during construction.
How can your home or building benefit from having a foundation? A foundation has three main roles:
- It helps support the structure's load.
- It keeps the building standing and stable, and protects it from natural disasters such as strong winds, snow, rain, and floods.
- It keeps the groundwater from seeping through the structure.
Signs You Have a Weak Foundation
Foundations that are built on sloping grounds or saturated soils must be strong and durable. The cause of weak foundations can be due to poor design, faulty construction, foundation failure or extraordinary loads.
Here are the top 12 signs that your foundation may be weak and unstable:
- Uneven or sloping floors
- Gaps between walls and ceilings or floors
- Windows or doors hard to open and close
- Wall cracks
- Cracks in floor tiles, foundations, or concrete floors
- Bowing, leaning or rotating walls
- Cracked trim and moldings
- Cracks in exterior bricks
- Separation of windows, doors or garage doors
- Ceiling cracks
- Crumbling, flaking, and chipping foundation
- Leaning, bent, and curved beam and post
How to Keep a Strong Foundation
- Inspect the conditions of the soil, and make sure surface water is being properly diverted away from the foundation.
- Clear rain gutters and downspouts to make sure water is diverted away from the home.
- Seal basement doors and windows with caulk to prevent water seepage.
- Check landscaping around the home and look for water accumulation.
- Make sure the yard is sloped away from the foundation in all directions.
If you see signs of foundation failure, contact Pro Foundation Technology, Inc. today. We are a reputable company that meets the standard construction for durability. We provide effective foundation repair solutions to restore weak foundations to normal. If you have questions or concerns about your foundation, give us a call today!
Filed under Common Structural Problems, Foundation Repair
Tags: ceiling cracks, foundation cracks, foundation failure