One of the major culprits for foundation damage in a home is because of standing water. While water may be essential to life it is one of the most damaging factors to even the most sturdiest foundation elements if left unattended. The smallest leak can amount to thousands of dollars of damage. As with any repair or maintenance items in a home, make sure that you are adequately checking for signs that you may need Cracked Foundation Repair Contractors before your small damage amasses many problems.
As a homeowner, you have to stay vigilant in checking the major physical aspects of the home such as the foundation. Unfortunately, when it comes time to hire Cracked Foundation Repair Contractors, the damage may have already set in. There are however, simple items you can do to keep your foundation from separating, cracking or shifting. Since water is the major culprit check on areas that are affected by water.
For starters, check your gutters and downspouts. When a gutter backs up the overflow of the water goes directly down the side of the home and into the soil next to the foundation. The downspouts which are suppose to divert water away from the home are not doing what they are installed for. Check routinely that the downspouts are not clogged as well and that they are within the regulations of placement to best protect the foundation. If you have french drains you need to have six inches of downward slope for every ten inches the pipes are laid away from the home.
You can check for damage by looking at the foundation where it meets up with the walls in the home. Look for slight cracks or even the pulling away from molding from where it is attached. By making active inspections in your home you can determine whether these cracks are recent, have long been developing, or have been there and not increased over the time you have been watching it. These are all key points to notice before you call out the professionals.
If you do suspect you have a problem with the foundation, call out the repair contractors as soon as possible. Apart from water damage simple contraction and expansion due to the weather are common problems that may not be serious depending on the amount of change.
