It may not feel like it\u00a0quite yet, but spring is right around the corner\u2014we promise. Depending on where you live, this will mean things like putting on shorts and\u00a0flinging open\u00a0the windows the moment the temperature rises above 40 degrees.\u00a0It will mean trips to the local garden center to pick out bulbs and seeds. And it will mean marking a weekend on the calendar\u00a0to give the house a\u00a0good old-fashioned spring cleaning.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So, while you\u2019re vacuuming carpets, scrubbing floors and squeegeeing window panes, there is one simple\u2014but very important\u2014thing to add to your list: keeping your eye open for signs of foundation\u00a0problems.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Signs of Foundation Failure\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n During the course of\u00a0your spring cleaning, you\u2019ll likely be giving your home a going over from basement to attic. This is a great time to see if\u00a0anything seems out of order, indicating\u00a0something\u00a0more serious\u00a0may be\u00a0going on down below.\u00a0Many of these signs, especially when they occur in older homes,\u00a0are mistakenly attributed to a home \u201csettling.\u201d\u00a0These\u00a0signs\u00a0can include:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Don\u2019t Panic!<\/strong><\/p>\n All these signs can be attributed to a foundation that has become unstable and is sinking into the soil beneath it.\u00a0This can happen for several reasons. The soil around and beneath your home may have softened or partially washed away due to heavy rains, snow melt or other water events. The soil may have shrunk due to drought. Or the soil may have simply been poorly compacted to begin with when your home was constructed. Whatever the reason, your\u00a0foundation\u2014and the home above it\u2014will likely continue to sink, causing problems throughout the structure.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While this may sound serious\u2014and it is\u2014the good news is, most foundation problems can be fixed\u00a0permanently. In fact, in many cases a sinking foundation can not only be stabilized but also lifted back to its original position.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What to Do if You Find a Problem<\/strong><\/p>\n Many people simply adapt to these issues\u00a0because, as mentioned above,\u00a0they think they\u2019re a normal part of a home aging. Sometimes they\u2019re\u00a0ignore them\u00a0completely\u00a0because they don\u2019t seem like a serious problem. After all, a basement crack may only grow a few millimeters a year.\u00a0But there\u2019s\u00a0an old adage\u00a0in the foundation repair community that still rings true\u00a0today:\u00a0foundation problems don\u2019t get better or less expensive to\u00a0fix\u00a0with time<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So, if you do find one or more of these issues in your home while you\u2019re going about your spring cleaning, make a note of them and schedule an in-depth inspection by a foundation repair expert. Most legitimate foundation repair companies will do this for free and without any obligation, so there\u2019s really no risk to you. If a foundation issue is found, the expert should be able to tell you exactly what is causing the problem, exactly how to fix it and exactly how much it will cost\u00a0to do so. If they can\u2019t or won\u2019t do that, politely thank them and call another company.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Of course, we\u00a0hope you don\u2019t find any signs of foundation failure while you\u2019re cleaning your home this spring. But if you do, you know exactly what to do!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It may not feel like it\u00a0quite yet, but spring is right around the corner\u2014we promise. Depending on where you live, this will mean things like putting on shorts and\u00a0flinging open\u00a0the windows the moment the temperature rises above 40 degrees.\u00a0It will mean trips to the local garden center to pick out bulbs and seeds. And it…","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n