Renovating an Apartment Building: Tips

Especially if you live in an older home, you may worry that the foundation is not standing up to the test of time and may be sinking under the weight of the house. However, after looking at it, you may see no cracking in the concrete, gaps, or holes that would indicate this is happening. However, there are a couple of subtle signs for which you can look to determine whether one side of your home's foundation is sinking.

1.  Floors in Your Home Have Become Uneven 

One sign that your home's foundation is sinking on one side is one that you may not notice, especially if you have grown accustomed to the floor being slightly askew. When one side of the foundation is lower than the other, the floors will become uneven.

Start paying attention to how items settle on surfaces to take note of the uneven floors. For example, if you place a pen on your desk or dining table, you may notice that it rolls an inch or two. Or, if you put a glass of water on an end table, the water level may seem to angle slightly.

If nothing else, you can perform a simple test using a smooth ball. At any point in each room, place the ball on the floor, and see if it rolls. If it rolls even halfway across the floor, the floor is uneven, and you may have a sinking issue with your foundation.

2.  Doors and Windows Stick When You Try to Open or Close Them

As part of its job, the foundation not only keeps your home's floors level, but it keeps the walls square and even. When the foundation is leveled, the doors and windows open easily.

However, if the foundation is off-kilter, the walls will start to become unlevel, and the door jams and window sills will no longer be square. You will notice that the doors and windows stick whenever you try to open and close them, especially on one side of the house.

Even if you do not see visible cracking of the foundation or gaps between the walls and floor, the subtle signs mentioned above indicate that one side of your home's foundation may be sinking slowly into the ground and causing unseen damage. If you suspect this may be the case, contact a foundation repair contractor to have them inspect your foundation to see if damage exists and discuss your options for fixing it.