4 Signs of Structural Damage
There will come a time that your house will experience a structural damage no matter how old it is. We cannot fully say that our house will be exempted from getting damaged. Natural forces like ground shifting, earthquake and strong winds can affect a structure in any way. If your house withstood all of these, then the engineer and contractor had done an impressive job on constructing your foundation.
If you’re worried that your house might have damages because of the little cracks you see on your wall, inspecting your house will answer your questions. But there would be an instance that a regular homeowner doesn’t know where to look, that’s why North Richland Hills foundation repair professionals are there to help you out.
1. Shifting and Rotting Joists
There are inspections that you can do by yourself. Go grab a flashlight and take a look at your foundation. One of the components you can check is the joist. A rotten joist is a costly repair, and once it gets too damaged because of the corrosion you will spend more. To check, get a screwdriver, check through the panel and jab the wood.
If the damage is caused by the ground shifting, there’s nothing to be afraid of but it still needs to be looked at. If the rotting is the main cause of the problem, then it’s already dangerous. The house experiences a lot of shifting. The ground shifting and temperature shifting will cause the house to expand.
2. Poorly Aligned Bolts
Look at the joints and bolts too. If you have a crawlspace, check the walls and the bolted plates that allow the walls to be attached to the foundation. If you see a loose bolt or poorly aligned joints, then you already have a problem in your foundation. You might see cracks too, that’s expected if the foundation already experienced a lot of shifting. The hairline cracks are harmless but the large and horizontal ones should ring the alarm. Cracks that are also wide at the top and becomes narrow downwards, that’s another sign of foundation damage.
3. Settling Structures
One of the problems that a structure will experience is the movement of the ground, which causes the house to settle or upheave. Another factor to be blamed is the poor construction. Don’t settle with cheap contractors and overly cheap materials because it will affect the structural integrity of the house in a long run.
If you notice that your tabletops or cabinets are pulling away from the walls, of if your doors and windows get stuck while you open them, or if the cracks on the walls don’t look hairlines anymore, then it means that the foundation experienced shifting or the structure is poorly constructed. To check these features in your house, get a level and check if the walls are straight and upright. The frames of the doors and windows are in too much pressure because of the settling structure that’s why the doors get stuck when you open them.
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