Your home is not only the heart of your family; it’s your biggest investment and financial asset. Protecting it is a top priority. You’ve run the scenarios over in your mind: tornado, fire, all the threats your home faces, but a cracked foundation is probably one of the most plausible. That’s why it’s worth your time to be proactive with cracked foundation problems.
In Central Texas, the soil is soft and absorbent. Unfortunately, the dry San Antonio summers can take their toll on the soil beneath your foundation. This can cause the ground to shift, which may lead to foundation damage. An easy way to prevent this is to regularly water the perimeter of your home throughout the dry months. It doesn’t require much; just an inch or two a few times a week. Set your irrigation system up and place a tuna fish can near the foundation. Time how long it takes for that can fill with water and you have a good estimate for future watering.
Of course, we do have the rare wet summer around here where such measures need not be taken. However, catching foundation problems before they are out of control is a yearlong task, rain or shine. Homeowners need to be diligent about noticing the small changes in their home that could signal a larger problem.
Cracks in the wall are probably the most recognizable change that signals a need for foundation repair. Check above your home’s interior doors for stress cracks that result from a leveling problem. Stress cracks can also appear in the brickwork and through the walls and ceilings of the central point of the structure.
More subtle changes include doors suddenly being harder to shut because the corners no longer fit. Windows can also become more difficult to close and may start to show tiny stress cracks protruding from their corners. Ever think you hear something go “bump” in the night? Chances are you don’t have ghosts; those creaks and sounds could be your home’s noisy reaction to the shifting of your foundation. Scary, indeed.
If you come across any early warning signs of foundation damage, take care of it immediately. Doing so can help cut costs and save you a lot of time and stress in the future. If you’re in Central Texas or San Antonio and you think your home may be in need of foundation repair, contact a specialist like the Arredondo Group; they know San Antonio homes and how to take care of them.