5 Signs Your House Foundation Could Be Sinking

Some of the issues in a foundation that homeowners experience can be insidious, and sometimes they mimic benign conditions. Just imagine brick cracking or having a little crack via the basement wall will likely lead to something huge. This could be a sign that the house is sinking.

Whenever you hear a friend saying, “my house foundation is sinking,” what comes to your mind? You might start having a picture of a sinkhole opening up and swallowing the house.

Your home might be in danger of sinking, but when you understand some of the warning signs of foundation damages, you’ll be able to fix it before it escalates. But what are those signs? In today’s post, I’ll be showing you 5 signs your house foundation could be sinking. If you need further resources, visit our website at totalfoundationrepairaustin.com.

Whenever you start having water flowing into the soil around your foundation, the dirt will expand. When there is lots of water that the ground can absorb, it can move around and try seeping into other areas such as your foundation. The water pressure is known as hydrostatic pressure, which can lead to cracks and water leaks in your foundation.

As at the time your foundation was formed, the ground below it should have been compacted. What this means is that it was flattened as much as possible, which makes it have a dense and level surface. But depending on the type of equipment that was used. However, no matter how the compaction was done, you’ll still notice some pockets of air within the soil.

After your house is built and furnished, the weight of the house presses against the ground. So with the little spaces in the dirt shift will cause your home to settle or sink beneath the ground.

When there are floods, droughts, and extremely cold temperatures, it can create problems for the stability of your foundation.

Whenever there are damp soil freezes, it can form frost heaves or freezing. It involves ice forming and damaging your foundation. This means that whenever water freezes, it will form ice which expands in the soil below your house. When this happens, it can push the foundation up and out of position.

Whenever you combine spring rains with all this melting ice and snow, it can create floods. As you know, flooding is one of the major sources of damage to house foundations. Don’t forget I have already noted it as a possible cause for your sinking foundation.

If you feel that your home foundation is looking risky due to flood and other factors, and you’re confused, here are 5 signs your house foundation could be sinking.

1. Foundation Wall Cracks

Foundation wall cracks happen to be one of the most obvious signs you’ll see that shows that your foundation might have the risk of sinking. But note that not all foundation wall cracks are bad. Sometimes some are normal.

2. Sticking Doors Or Windows

Another sign is sticking doors and windows which are more common in older houses. This might be due to moisture issues which are caused by high humidity or internal parts of a window system being worn out. Sometimes this could be a sinking or settling foundation that might have caused the door or window to fall out of the square.

3. Interior Sheetrock Cracks

You should start suspecting a problem whenever the interior sheetrock cracks are zig-zagging. Try to consult a contractor once you notice the wallpaper pulling away from the wall and when you find out there are cracks at the junction of the wall and the ceiling.

4. Crack In Walls

Sometimes you can easily patch drywall and plaster cracks, but what causes them in the first place? This could be due to excessive moisture or a poor mud and tape job, and sometimes it could mean that your home has foundation issues.

Once you notice that foundation settlement is the problem, you’ll realize the cracks re-opening again after they've been repaired. But how do you find out which crack is the real problem?

5. Uneven Floors

Your home floors are made of wood via the upper levels and concrete in the basement. When there’s an uneven floor at any level of your home, it can be cause for concern.

Whenever the basement concrete floors aren't level, you’ll know that it is caused by foundation settlement or heaves. However, make sure it is inspected by a professional because this kind of issue will usually get worse over time.

Whenever the wood floors of the upper levels become out of level, it could be due to various issues. The foundation settling, crawl space shifting, or interior columns in the basement could be the problem.

One other potential problem could be sagging floor joists, but this can be very common in homes with a dirt crawlspace.

For you to repair a sinking foundation, piers need to be installed. Piers are steel posts that are put into the ground around your home, which helps in securing your foundation with a steel bracket.

These piers help in holding your foundation in place, making it not shift any lower. Sometimes your foundation can be lifted by piers, which are closer to its original position.

However, some contractors when they want to get your sinking foundation fixed install push piers. But first, get a company that understands the difference between push piers and helical piers. Note that helical piers don’t use the weight of a building to reach the needed depth. It relies on the torque of the stability of soil far below the surface, and this can be measured by a pressure gauge.

I have been able to share with you 5 Signs Your House Foundation Could Be Sinking. But in case any of the foundation sinking warning signs I have outlined here get you worried about your home, one thing you can do is to take action immediately.

Consult a professional to inspect your house foundation to know if you've got an issue or not. Once it is determined that there’s an issue, they will know what repairs are necessary to fix it and prevent further damage.

Some of these companies help in restoring homes to their previously healthy and secure condition. They provide peace of mind to homeowners and help them get back their home’s investment value.