Many people have the conception that house leveling or foundation repair costs a lot, which is why most of them try to avoid it. Fortunately, it costs very little. Just like repairing a leaking roof, house leveling is also essential for securing your home from any damage. Leveling a house is a challenging task; you can’t execute it by yourself, so you must hire a company that offers services like house leveling near me; thus, they can professionally complete the task. When the repairs are done by a professional, he/she ensures that the repairs last for an extended period of time without causing any problem or disturbance. Let’s discuss house leveling in brief so to give you an idea of how important it is:
What is House Leveling?
House leveling is a process in which a house is lifted back to its original position that it was when it got constructed. According to some American Concrete Institute standards, it is clearly mentioned that slabs of a new home should not be more than 1.5 inches out of level. The sole objective of house leveling is to put back the house in the position where it was before it started moving. Sometimes house owners are unable to see these minor changes in their foundation.
Every house is built on a foundation that deteriorates with the passage of time and needs to get repaired in certain intervals. With passing time, the foundation of a house can sink, crack, heave or settle. The causes of this damage might be inappropriate soil, moisture, or a foundation that was not constructed with proper efficiency and professionalism.
House Leveling or foundation repair is very important because the whole house weight rests or depends on the foundation; any faults in the foundation can put the entire house in danger. If these repairs are ignored, then it can cause some severe damage to the house. So before it is too, late house owners must hire a company for house leveling near me for foundation repair.
Signs that Show You Need House Leveling
Foundation failures are something that needs to be addressed immediately if you don’t want your house to take serious damages in the future. So before taking the required steps, you first need to know the signs that tell you that your house needs foundation repair. So here is the list of some signs that you must look after regularly to keep your house secure from foundation faults:
Cracks in the Wall
If you are witnessing cracks in your house wall, then it becomes obvious that your house is suffering from foundation damage. If your house is made of bricks, then you might see some cracks in the exterior of the house also. Try to identify the cracks in the mortar which is present between the bricks.
Bowing Basement Walls
When the foundation of your house is getting shifted from its previous position, it will affect the basement walls and push it inwards. This inward push will give the basement walls a bowed look. So if you feel that your basement walls are bowed, then inspect your house foundation as soon as possible.
Sticking Doors and Windows
Your doors and windows do not remain aligned in their position if the foundation of the house is shifting from its original position. This misalignment causes the doors and windows to stick, which makes it difficult to close or open them, so if you are facing such problems, then it’s better to inspect your house’s foundation.
Sloping Floors
If you are witnessing that your house floors are becoming sloping and uneven, then it becomes an obvious sign of foundation damage. If your house floors are sagging and bowing, then it is better to hire a house leveling company to inspect the house for foundation repair.
Gaps that Occur Between Your Walls and Ceilings
When you witness gaps between your crown molding and your ceiling, then it is a clear sign that your house is getting shifted from its previous position; thus, it requires a foundation repair as soon as possible to prevent any more serious damage in the future.
Types of Foundation
There are two basic types of foundation that normal people are aware of. Let’s discuss these two foundation types in a detailed manner:
Slab Foundation
The main ingredient for slab foundation is concrete. A slab foundation is constructed by pouring a large sheet of concrete over the ground. The thickness of a standard slab will range between 4″ – 6″ thick. In order to make up with the weights that are present in the perimeter of the house, the deepness of the outer parts of the slab ranges between 24″ – 36″. The deep part of a slab is considered as the beam. In order to stiffen a slab’s center, beams are used to crisscross the middle in a pattern that looks like a waffle. The size of the interior beams is approximately 10 to 14 feet. The steel rods used to enforce the foundation are termed as rebars.
Pier and Beam Foundation
A pier and beam foundation is constructed with three main components, which are essential and cannot be ignored. The first component is a foundation beam made with concrete, which is built around the entire perimeter of the house. The second components are concrete pads or columns, which are installed inside the perimeter beam. The third components are wood beams, which are placed on the interior columns and on the perimeter beam. Pier and beam foundation is considered a costly version of foundation when compared to a slab foundation, and this is the reason this type of foundation is only used in custom houses.
Conclusion
House leveling is essential to secure your house from some serious damages from various spheres. So, whenever you are witnessing any signs of foundation damage, immediately inform or hire a company that offers house leveling near me so that they can inspect and find out whether your house is getting shifted or not.
