Signs of Foundation Settlement
Signs of Foundation Settlement
When the foundation of a home settles, there are usually visual signs that signify the movement of the house. These visible signs can be observed both inside and outside of the home. Here are a few common spaces where foundation settlement can be found.
Signs Outside Your Home
If you are worried your home is experiencing foundation settlement, you may have to observe outside your home for the best tell signs.
• Stair-stepping crack
- These cracks are typical in brick and concrete block walls. As the wall continues to settle the cracks will widen revealing that the wall is rotating outward.
• Chimneys
- Sometimes chimneys are built on a foundation that is not connected to the rest of the home, making the chimney separate from the rest of the house.
• Siding Key-Holing/ Dragon Backing
- When a house is settling, the siding may shift and slide in opposite directions so that the edges are not lined up and it looks like dragon backing. The nails in the siding may have been pulled and stretched causing a keyhole effect.
• Doors and Windows
- These areas outside of the house are often the weakest areas of the foundation, meaning that often these areas are the first to experience settlement.
Signs Inside Your Home
Many of the symptoms you may find outside of the home can be seen inside your crawl space or basement. These may include:
• Drywall cracks
Cracks in drywall throughout the house are a good indicator of settlement and may be more evident in the uppermost levels of the home. These cracks may appear in the corners of doors and windows, drywall seams, or drywall tape buckling, pulling, or ripping.
• Doors and Windows
The door or windows may become hard to open and experience jamming. Like the outside of a home, the doors and windows are often the areas of the house that will show the first signs of settlement.
If you have found any signs of foundation settlement, contact Madole Construction for a free, no-obligation estimate professional repair.
