A home is nothing if not for a good masonry foundation. The worse condition your foundation is in, the weaker and more uneven your home is. Moisture is by far one of the most hazardous things to the foundation of any structure.
You need to be able to recognize the signs of a poor or weak masonry foundation in order to deal with it in a timely manner. The more you postpone strengthening your foundation, the more risks your exposing your house to and the worse the damage will become.
A List of Things to Check for Bad Masonry Foundation
Start with the doors and walls in your house or estate. Some shifting is expected and natural due to settling, but settling is only acceptable up to a limit. Once that limit is exceeded, you’ll be facing some serious damage. Some of the most important things to look for are moisture and mold which are reflective of water damage. A leaking pipe or damaged drain behind a wall could silently and slowly be hurting the integrity of your masonry foundation.
Check the walls for any cracks or shifts. Some cracks are very narrow and stable while others can be wide and/or progressive. Progressive, also known as active, cracks are a bigger threat but either way you should get any crack checked out just in case. Decaying cement or bricks are also signs that should alarm you that it’s time to call a professional mason for assistance.
The alignment of doors and windows is another powerful indicator of the status of your masonry foundation. If everything is aligned and looks like where it’s supposed to be then your foundation is probably doing well. Alternatively, if doors and windows are misaligned then that’s a warning sign. You should have an extra incentive to fix these as they can let cold air out in the summer or hot air out in the winter thereby requiring more from your cooling and heating units to maintain the temperature inside the house. As your heating and cooling units work more, your power bill will rise too.
Don’t forget to check the slope of your floors. Place a round object on the floor and if it starts to move in any direction then your floor has a slope which isn’t something we want. Damaged ceilings with gaps between the walls and the ceiling should alert you that something isn’t right and your foundation isn’t as solid as it’s supposed to be.
Finding any of these signs should raise your stress levels a little. Choosing to neglect them is not the wisest thing to do. You’ll only be jeopardizing your home, lowering its value, and whether you accept it or not, repairs will need to be done sooner or later. The problem is that as the issue goes unfixed, it’s going to get course and repairs will end up costing a lot more. Keep a look out for any signs of bad masonry foundation and deal with them accordingly.
