Homes in Tennessee and North Carolina are at high risk of foundation settling due to both the type of soil and a long tradition of building on flat slabs rather than below-ground basement foundations. When this happens, foundation repair is a must, usually by power lifting the house and evening it out. If caught early, foundation repair is inexpensive but many people wait until they see visible settling to call us at PowerLift Foundation Repair. There are many other signs of settling that can tip you off early if you know what to look for. They include:

cracked cement

1.  Cracks in the floor – Depending on the type of floor you have, cracks in the floor itself may be your first sign that you need foundation repair. Tile and concrete floors may crack, while wood floors may pull apart and separate.

2.  Cracked sheetrock – Interior walls may crack before exterior walls do. Sheetrock, in particular, is prone to cracking as the house settles, as is old plaster. Cracks in the wall usually don’t appear out of nowhere—they are a sign the frame is moving due to settling.

3.  Tight doors and windows – While a sticky door or window can be caused by humidity, this will often come and go with the weather. If doors or windows are consistently hard to open and close, however, it can mean the frame is moving due to a foundation issue. This is a good early sign to catch before more expensive cracks appear.

4.  Cracked brick or separating bricks – Brick exteriors can hide settling because people don’t notice gaps between individual bricks. As a foundation settles, bricks may pull apart. Often, you’ll see a zig-zag gap as each row of bricks moves over from the one below it. Sometimes bricks will actually crack through.

5.  Gaps between windows and walls – There should be no separation between the window frame and the wall, or between the window and frame. If there is, it not only indicates a need for foundation repair; it also means you are losing heat in the winter and AC in the summer, which leads to high energy bills.

6.  Rotating walls – Sometimes, a wall will “rotate.” This means that the bottom begins to turn from settling while the top does not. When looking at an exterior corner of the house, you can tell a wall is rotating when it appears to have a curve in it.

7.  Visible settling – Of course, sometimes foundation problems are obvious. If your floors are slanted, there is visible settling or cracks in the foundation itself, it’s time to call us at Powerlift for foundation repair!

There are other signs that will tell you it’s time to get your foundation looked at, which you can find here on our website.

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Our foundation repair specialists are ready to help you today.

For Foundation Repair in North Carolina call 1-800-562-5438.

For Foundation Repair in Tennessee call 1-800-562-5438.