5 Signs Your House Needs Leveling
May 14, 2017
An uneven foundation can result in some unusual symptoms inside your house, such as cracks on walls or ceilings, plumbing problems that create slow drainage or backups, and door jams. In such cases, the problem can be solved or repaired by propping up the home and leveling the structurally-weak foundation underneath it.
Common Causes of Foundation Issues
All house foundations settle over time. Some of the most common reasons why homes develop foundation problems include:
Improperly backfilled soil: If the soil beneath the foundation of your house wasn’t backfilled properly, chances are the house will start experiencing cracks when the soil shifts.
Expansive soils: Certain soil types are known to expand and shrink depending on the water content in the soil. For instance, Georgia’s clay soil tends to expand when wet and shrink when dry. This seasonal shrinking and heaving will eventually cause shifting and unwanted movement to the house’s foundation.
Tree roots: Tree roots that are too close to a house can drink up the water in the soil beneath the house foundation. Eventually this will make the foundation shift or sink to cover the voids left by the water.
5 Signs Your House Needs Leveling Due to Foundation Issues
When a foundation shifts and settles, it can affect the entire house. Some of the signs that a house is unleveled due to a shifting foundation include:
- Stuck windows
- Sloping floors
- Wall and ceiling cracks
- Leaning chimneys
- Drywall cracks
If you see any of these signs in your home, you should contact a professional foundation repair service provider to come and assess the damage as soon as possible. A professional, licensed repairer who has years of experience in the house leveling business can provide you with the following house leveling services:
- An unlevel basement repair
- Level subfloor installation
- Concrete leveling and floor leveling
Unfortunately, even if you’re a handy person who likes a DIY project, house leveling repairs are technical and should be left to the experts. Trying to level the foundation of your house on your own can actually result in further damage. A professional structural engineer is needed to determine how best to repair a home foundation.
Most foundation repair companies offer a free foundation inspection, when a professional will:
- Look for other symptoms like sagging floors and window cracks during the interior and exterior inspection.
- Analyze the problem and describe it to you in detail so that you can make an informed decision.
- Come up with a practicable plan of action suitable for your specific needs.
- Provide you with an estimate for repair.
Don’t let just any foundation repair company do this technical job without doing some background checks on the credibility of the company. And steer clear of foundation companies that don’t provide you with information about their previous clients for references.
At Engineered Solutions of Georgia, you’ll get experienced house leveling engineers with years of experience in delivering high quality services. Contact one of our foundation contractors today.
