6 Signs Of Serious Foundation Problems You Shouldn’t Ignore

Are you seeing signs of foundation problems around your home?

After 50+ years in business and over 15,000 successful foundation projects under our belts, we TRULY understand that these types of problems are unpleasant. And they never happen at a good time.

When you see hints of trouble around the house, big or small, it’s natural to feel a bit on the helpless side of things. This is especially the case when we’re talking about signs of foundation problems.

If you see any of these six issues developing, however, you need to contact a local foundation repair specialist. Foundation problems don’t fix themselves and often get worse if not addressed.

Common Signs of Foundation Problems

1. Are you seeing diagonal cracks on your interior walls?

This is a surefire sign that your home’s foundation (or just a section of it) is either heaving or settling. As this happens it basically tears any drywall or sheetrock apart. You’ll tend to see these types of cracks coming from either window or door framing, and they are a definite sign of foundation problems.

2. Are you finding exterior stair-step brick cracks?

If your home has brick around or part of the exterior walls, are you seeing cracks developing in the mortar? Typically they’ll be diagonal and move in a stair-step fashion around the brick (except really weakened or weathered bricks). These also sometimes, but not always, develop near window and door frames for structural reasons that shouldn’t be ignored. A similar pattern can also sometimes be found on foundation block walls, and these too should be treated as signs of potential foundation repair problems.

3. Are your interior & exterior doors sticking or not latching?

If the drywall and sheetrock are showing diagonal cracks, you may already find it hard to properly open and shut certain doors. Framing often becomes uneven when a home is experiencing foundation problems. The door is being ‘pulled out of square’ as the foundation heaves/settles. This makes it more difficult to open and close.

4. Is the exterior trim on your home gapping and warping?

Are longer horizontal pieces of your home’s trim separating from core framing and creating visible gaps? Similar to causing cracks in the brick mortar, this is where your destabilized foundation is ripping boards from placement joints that just pop off after enough pressure builds up.

5. Are you seeing movement of wood trim, additions, or built-ins?

Whoa…are those new cabinets pulling away from walls? Are you seeing bookshelves move or tilting bathroom cabinets? Uneven settlement or heaving can cause portions of the structure to move relative to the rest of the house. As the walls move, anything attached to them is going to move as well. The tile will get decimated. If fixtures are attached to both the walls and flooring in impacted areas, this can lead to costly remodels.

6. Does it seem like other fixtures in the house have moved?

Hold on a minute, while you were cooking breakfast did you notice the countertops are separating from the walls? Are cracks appearing in the tiling? Is the backsplash no longer connected to that beautiful marble countertop as well? After you get done eating, it’s time to make that call.

Bottom Line: If You See These Signs of Foundation Problems, Call In The Professionals

Don’t wait around. Foundation problems are nothing to take lightly — they can quickly get out of control and become safety hazards!

Your local foundation specialist will be happy to send a consultant out to inspect the area and provide the next steps. If you live in our area of the country, northwestern Texas and eastern New Mexico, don’t hesitate to contact Childers Brothers.