CRACKS….

Signs of Foundation Failure

The number one question I am asked on a daily basis is “What are the biggest signs of foundation failure”. There are many signs that point to a foundation starting to fail and the sooner the problem can be corrected the less expensive is will be.
The first signs that most homeowners will notice is the sticking of doors or cracks in the Sheetrock on the Interior as we spend much more time inside.
There are different types of Sheetrock cracks to look for and each shows a different type of stress. Sheetrock cracks in walls and coming off doors or windows that run vertical or horizontal usually are on tape and bed lines and not as concerning, however, they can be an early sign of movement. Diagonal cracks are more concerning since they are signs of more extreme movement and usually point to direction of fall or away from direction of heaving.
Cracks in the ceiling are a bit different. If you have a crack that is running straight across it can an indication of lower elevations either in front of the crack or behind it. These types of cracks are more serious and indicate a lot of movement is begging to occur and should be evaluated ASAP. Cracks in the ceiling that follow tape and bed lines are similar to cracks in walls that run horizontal or vertical. They should be monitored but generally are not as concerning.

I hope these are some helpful hints to assist you in better assessing possible foundation issues.

Bret Taylor
Sr. Evaluator
Perma Pier Foundation Repair
1-877-840-9993
Direct – 214-637-1444
cell – 469-371-5350
e-mail: bret.taylor@permapier.com
www.permapier.com