When reading articles about home foundation problems we want to believe that our home is free of such issues. If you have an older home, chances are you have dealt with some moisture, water leaks or seepage in your home basement. The problems there can start small, but they can eventually lead you to bigger and costly problems, that if not taken seriously can truly jeopardize the safety of your home. For more about foundation and how to prevent a foundation problem follow the links below.
Collapsed foundation destroys Sayreville family’s Christmas
A Sayreville family was forced to evacuate their Christmas celebration when a basement wall collapsed on Thursday.
SAYREVILLE – The family of a 30-year borough resident had to evacuate its Christmas celebration when the foundation of their Standiford Avenue collapsed on Thursday.
Marilyn Calandriello reported that there were no injuries and that her New Jersey Manufacturers insurance may not cover extensive damage stabilized by the borough fire department. She said the two daughters and grandson with whom she lives now are staying with other nearby family members until their home is inhabitable again.
The damage comes six months after the passing of Calandriello’s husband, James, of 44 years, who suffered a massive attack while working as a senior buyer for a scrap metal business.
“That was hard enough but now to have to deal with this,” she said.
While also celebrating with two other children and three other grandchildren, Calandriello noticed the caved-in basement wall while retrieving holiday food from a secondary refrigerator.
Identifying a Foundation Problem
Exterior indications of foundation problems
– Doors that will not open or close properly
– Gaps at the corner of fascia trim
– Diagonal cracks in the wall at corners of doors and windows
– Gaps between the garage door and the pavement at either side of the garage door
– Windows that are hard to open and close
– Cracks in the exposed grade beam of the house
– Cracks in bricks and mortar
– Cracks in brick and mortar
Interior indications of foundation problems
– Unlevel Floors
– Large cracks in the concrete slab
– Gaps above kitchen cabinets
– Cabinet doors that will not stay shut
– Diagonal cracks in the wall at corners of doors and windows
– Curling and tearing of existing sheetrock repairs
– Leaks and cracks in and around the fireplace
Identifying House Foundation Problems
Foundation problems may mean expensive repairs. Here’s what to look for to keep small concerns from becoming big headaches.
Knowing the early warning signs of foundation troubles can head off problems that ultimately could cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix. The sooner you identify potential problems, the easier — and less expensive — it is to fix them.
The 4 Basic Indoor Warning Signs
Houses settle over time, and a little unevenness isn’t cause for panic. At the same time, you’ll want to be alert to these warning signs that more dramatic changes are taking place:
1. A door begins to jam or fails to latch.
2. Cracks appear in walls, especially over doorways, windows, or where walls meet ceilings.
3. Cracks open in vinyl or ceramic tile over a concrete floor.
4. Windows that used to open and close easily suddenly begin to stick or won’t close completely.
