Most homeowners don’t give their home’s foundation a second thought until they notice that something has gone wrong. And when something’s gone wrong with your foundation, it usually means something has gone terribly wrong. That’s why it’s important to look carefully for signs that your home foundation is in serious trouble.
Watch your soil
Water tends to be the biggest culprit behind most foundation problems, and one of the easiest ways to avoid foundation repair is to take care with your landscaping. All you need to do is ensure that the ground surrounding your foundation slopes away from your home at a ratio of one quarter inch per foot of soil.
Keep the bows at bay
Do any of your foundation walls look like a bow and curve in the middle? If so, you could have more than a problematic wall on your hands. A severe bow in the foundation is classified as three inches, and a bow this size may require a full foundation excavation.
Close all cracks
Cracks in your foundation can be caused by a number of things, and they should never be ignored. Generally, a foundation crack that is 1/16 of an inch thick is a sign of a problem, and a crack that is ¼ of an inch thick is an extreme problem.
