When Should You Start Worrying About The Foundation Cracks?
No matter how consistent you have been in your efforts of ensuring that your homes structural integrity remains intact with preventive measures, sooner or later, due to no fault of your own. The foundation will start to show signs of wear and tear, especially if the home is decades old.
The common and most apparent sign of foundation damage is cracks in the walls and around the windows of your house. There are many reasons behind this seemingly unexplainable structural deformity. Maybe the foundation was not constructed properly, or there is a severe drainage issue which is being overlooked. There is a possibility that your house is made around either really wet/dry soil or maybe the change in temperature is slowly wearing down the foundation. If you live in a frigid climate, the frost might lead to foundation upheaving. Similarly, areas prone to natural disasters or with a history of the geotechnical issues will quickly degrade the foundation quality.
But how can you identify which crack is not worth stressing over and which one needs to be immediately inspected by a professional foundation repair service in Maryland?
To help you better understand the severity of the situation, we have listed a few types of cracks which are tell-tale signs that the foundation needs to be inspected immediately:
ANGULAR CRACKS:
These are prevalent in a home where brick walls are directly laid on the concrete foundation. Generally, 12-16 inch cracks appear on the outside of the foundation and should not be worried about as they go back to their shape once the temperature steels down.
VERTICAL CRACKS:
One of the least severe types of cracks, vertical cracks are prominent in almost every home as a straight line along the walls. These are the least expensive of all to get repaired, they are formed due to foundation settling.
BASEMENT HAIRLINE CRACK:
As long as the crack in the basement is less than ½ inch, it is nothing to worry about but if it keeps growing, you would need a professional foundation repair specialist to look into it and decide what needs to be done. Categorized under the diagonal cracks, these are a result of differential settling. When the soil under the home contracts and expands or the home is built on a hill, then it leads to differential settling. It can be identified as when one side of the house seems settled lower than the rest of the foundation, which only a professional will be able to determine.
HORIZONTAL CRACKS:
Are the cracks running sideways? If yes, then immediately reach out to a foundation repair service. Common in homes with brick foundation or concrete blocks, these cracks are detrimental to the structural integrity of the house. Horizontal cracks are caused by excessive pressure outside the foundation or when the basement walls start to sink due to extensive hydrostatic pressure.
While the information mentioned above can help you figure out when foundation cracks become a severe problem, we would advise you to immediately get in touch with a professional foundation repair service in Maryland like AA Action Waterproofing.
Why?
Because it’s not just the cracks that denote a problem with the foundation. Your doors and windows might become stuck or they might be open and close on their own. The windows and doors might be distorted or there might be minor gaps. A professional can be the best judge of what the issue is and the extent of foundation problems. With close to three decades of experience, our professionally trained and experienced contractors will guarantee quality work at the most competitive market price. We offer licensed, insured and bonded services along with a lifetime warranty.
Get a free, no-obligation inspection and estimate on the extent of damage and right solution for your foundation issue today!
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Reach out to an AA Action Waterproofing representative, today!