1. Plumbing Problems
With expanding the cracks and sloping floors, the risk of plumbing leaks increase. Plumbing below a slab can become damaged from foundation movement. Not only will there be issues below the damaged area, but other parts of your home may become stressed and develop other leaks due to the home’s structure being flexed by foundation movement.
2. Increased Energy Bills
Buildings are most efficient when there are no cracks in your home’s walls and ceiling to increase heat loss or gain in your home. Heat can readily flow in during the summer and escape during the winter. Distorted windows and cracked sticking door frames compromise the seals because of the uneven gaps. This allows outside heat or cold into your home meaning your air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter use more energy to contain the desired room temperature.
3. Termite Infestation
Termites find themselves in your home with one simple crack. Most termites from the soil only require a width of business card to get inside your home. Foundation cracks and cracks on home’s exterior near ground level provide plenty of entry space.
4. Selling Your Home
You are getting ready to sell your home and notice a couple of cracks on the wall. When a homeowner identifies a crack, the natural response is to fix that crack and move on. There is nothing wrong with this, but do not assume that repairing a crack is going to make a structural problem go away. It is not going to prevent further foundation damage from occurring. When it comes time to sell your home, a foundation problem can easily be a “deal-breaker.” Even if a prospective home buyer is willing to accept the risk of buying a home with foundation problems, it is unlikely that a bank or mortgage lender will allow a mortgage to be granted for such a problem property.
5. Continuously Increasing Repair Cost
The cost of recovering from foundation damages escalate when the problem is not quickly addressed. Most homeowners will notice an issue, call out for repair estimates and the quote is much higher than they hoped for. They will often put off the job and wait until they are more comfortable paying for the repair down the road. What most homeowners do not realized is these issues will not go away, but get worse and the longer one waits, the higher the cost of repair. You can actually save thousands in the long run by taking care of problems as soon as they are discovered.
If your home has a foundation problem, do not put off the repair. Once the symptoms of a foundation problem show up, it is a sure bet they will only get worse with time. Seasonal movement may appear to lessen the problem from time to time. But problems often return with greater movement each season. Cracks will widen, settling and shifting will become more pronounced and the windows or door opening will become even more out of the frame. Resist the temptation to make simple cosmetic issues that will only fix an outer issue, when the real issue lies beneath the surface of your home. Call the experts at Advanced Foundation Repair and schedule your free home inspection. We give accurate assessments of the exact needs of your home.