6 Signs Your House Needs Leveling

Over time, all home foundations settle. The common causes of foundation settling are improperly backfilled soil, expansive soil, and tree roots. Movement in the foundation can affect the entire house and must be addressed right away. The structural issues will only become worse over time and can decrease your home’s value. Fortunately, there are some signs that indicate your house needs leveling.

6 Signs Your House Needs Leveling Due to Foundation Issues

1. Unlevel Mortar Joints

Expansion joints, or the vertical gaps between bricks or concrete blocks, are usually experts’ go-to way of spotting foundation settlement. If the mortar that fills these joints is showing gaps, cracks or expansion, that’s a sign of foundation settling that may require foundation leveling.

2. Cracks Along the Exterior and Interior of Your Home

Another major sign of foundation settling is visible cracking along the interior or exterior of your home. If your home has any brick work, check for cracks in the mortar between the bricks, along with vertical cracks that seem to be growing wider. Additionally, if you have any brick work or not, look for cracks on the inside of your home, paying special attention to drywall, plaster, fireplace veneer and wood paneling. Don’t forget to check ceilings and floors too. Bulging floor tiles and exposed concrete floors are also signs of issues that may quickly become cracks, especially for basement floors.

3. A History of Previous Repairs

If you bought your home from a previous owner, check the history of past repair work. If there is evidence of patching cracks, replacing latches, or moving framework, this likely means that settlement could be occurring.

4. Stuck Windows & Sticking/Swinging Doors

Has your home ever given you trouble when it comes to closing doors or windows? If your house has foundation issues on one side of the structure, your house may now be at a slight angle causing your doors and windows to become stuck. This suggests that your house is no longer level.

5. Uneven Floors

Check for slants in your floors using a tape measure or level in numerous areas of your home including your interior walls and exterior walls. Slanted floors could be caused by other issues in your home, but this is still worth checking.

6. An Unstable Chimney

Leaning or cracking chimneys in many instances could suggest foundational issues if your chimney shares its foundation with your house. If you’ve had to repair your chimney because of these issues, it’s a good idea to check for settlement issues in your home’s foundation.

Contact a Highly-Experienced Professional Today

When it comes to foundation repair, this is a job best left to the experts. House leveling is very technical, and improper techniques used on your own could further worsen the foundation damage. At MitchCo Foundation Repair, we have been helping homeowners in the San Antonio area for over 20 years. We provide timely completion of projects and free, no-obligation estimates. Contact MitchCo Foundation Repair today to address your foundation repair needs.