Do you know the early warning signs of foundation issues? If so, you may be able to put a stop to problems that could require a five-figure fix. The sooner you pinpoint possible foundation trouble, the easier and less costly the solution will be.
Spot Indoor Signs of Trouble
These changes could signal possible foundation damage:
- A door no longer latches or starts jamming.
- You start seeing cracks in walls, particularly over windows and doorways.
- You notice cracks in a ceramic tile or vinyl floor that’s over concrete.
- Windows fail to completely close or begin sticking.
Check Outside Walls
From the corners of your house, look down the length to make sure your foundation is straight. Curves or bulges in poured concrete walls and block foundations can mean foundation damage.
Look for Soft Concrete
Is concrete chipping from your poured perimeter foundation? Use a screwdriver to check the strength; it should be rock-hard. If you can chip off a piece, your concrete may be decaying because of excess water or dirty sand in the mix. The only remedy may be a new foundation.
Survey Your Crawl Space
Check your crawl space or basement for posts; they should be straight and should firmly meet the beams they’re supporting. The post bottoms should sit on concrete piers. Signs of moisture in your crawl space can mean subpar drainage around your foundation.
Diagnose Foundation Cracks
Block and concrete foundations typically have some cracks of various types. Horizontal cracks can cause the most trouble; they can indicate that saturated soil froze, expanded and pushed into your foundation, possibly breaking it.
The problem also could be soil that expands when it’s wet and shrinks when dry. Either condition likely means a new foundation.
Get a Professional Opinion
A structural engineer can look at your foundation and diagnose any structural damage. You’ll pay approximately $500 to $700 for an engineer to inspection the foundation and give you an analysis and up to $2,000 for a complete set of engineered drawings of a solution.
Consider Foundation Repair
Several methods exist for fixing problems with foundation walls:
- Adding bolted steel braces — $500 to $570 each.
- Straps of carbon-fiber mesh glued with epoxy — $350 to $450 each.
- Using concrete piers or helical screws to underpin the foundation — $1,200 to $1,500 per pier.
- A new foundation — up to $40,000.
As a stopgap, paint over any very small cracks — less than 1/16 inch in width — with concrete waterproofing paint. Periodically check on whether the paint cracks, which could indicate opening under pressure.
Contact Edens Structural Solutions
Edens Structural Solutions proudly serves northeastern Oklahoma. We look forward to the opportunity to assist you in identifying and correcting any foundation problems with your home.
We work diligently to provide our customers with the highest possible level of service. For a free consultation, please contact us today.
