House Foundation 101

The ‘rock' of your house……. literally….…is your foundation.  The foundation is the concrete your house is built on. It can come in a few different styles that include slab, basement, crawl space or pier/beam.

As a homeowner, there are a few things you need to keep an eye on to make sure your foundation does not have any issues that need to be fixed.  Letting foundation problems go without fixing them will result in a much bigger issues and will cost much more down the road.

It is natural for a home to ‘settle' and have small cracks.  But how do you know what a settling crack looks like versus a major, house crumbling crack?  How can you tell if your foundation is in need of maintenance?

The Ask Cathy Marketing Group recommends that if you have any of these issues below, call a qualified foundation repair contractor pronto:

• Look out for cracks. Most houses will have small, vertical, hairline cracks showing the house is settling.  What you want to watch for is horizontal cracks in floors, walls and brick. This could be a sign there is a major problem brewing.
• Look out for the house sinking or rising. Is one side of your house lower than the other or does it have uneven floors? Concrete slabs can sink or they can rise causing major foundation issues.
• Check the crawl space. Is the space between your house and the ground wet or moist?  Also, look out for a moldy, musty smell that also means the area is too moist.
• Check your windows and doors.  Do you have gaps where the air is getting inside? Do they open and close with ease?  If you have doors that will not close all the way or open all the way, it could be your foundation.
• Check your counters and cabinets. Are they flush with your walls or are they pulling away?  It could be your walls shifting due to a foundation issue and this can cause major issues down the road.

To find a trusted foundation repair contractor, simply go to our vendor referral page here.