Determining if you have a foundation problem with your home or other building is determined mostly by using your eyes and just good common sense. If you are starting to see cracks in interior drywall, windows that won't close or open, doors that suddenly seem out of kilter or other abnormal things around the home your foundation may be the culprit.
If you do a little investigative looking, finding problems can be quite easy if they are actually present. Finding a sticky window or door does not mean your foundation is bad. It may be nothing more than humidity, loose hinges or a window that needs a spring adjustment. If you find all of sudden there are a great many items with a problem then it is time to look around. Starting on the buildings exterior, slowly walk the perimeter and take a real good look at the exposed portion of the foundation walls. If you see cracks in the wall, inward or outward bowing, sunken soils against the wall, cracks in the brick face or bowed siding for example, these are all causes for concern. Make a note of the locations and proceed to the inside of the basement.
Using a pencil, draw a line horizontally across the crack and large enough to see easily later on. Keep checking the crack from time to time to see if the pencil mark as moved and the two sides of crack line no longer match up. If the lines are now separated vertically, it indicates that the foundation is moving. If you see a larger crack, bigger than an eighth of an inch wide, this may mean severe movement has occurred. If this is the case then allow us to do a thorough inspection of your home's foundation and use our A-1 method to repair any damage. Contact us today should you have any questions or concerns about your home or commercial building's foundation.