How To Spot Signs Of Foundation Damage In Your Home
Spotting foundation damage is simple and can save you lots of money later down the line when reported to your insurance carrier. Since it’s important to report any signs of foundation issues as quickly as possible, you will want to take the time to take a walk around your home a few times a year to inspect for the following signs. First, grab your flashlight and start on the inside of the house.
Uneven or Sagging Floors And Ceilings
As the foundation of your home moves or shifts, it begins to pull apart walls and support beams, which causes the weight of the house to sit unevenly. This uneven weight support of your home will cause your floors to begin to slope or sag and can also cause your ceilings to begin to sag. You might think that a sloped or slanted floor would be obvious, but it can often be a very subtle slope or slant that is difficult to notice, so one trick you can use is to place a ball in different spots of the floor and see if it sits evenly and if you do notice that your floors are beginning to feel uneven or slanted you may want to contact a professional to check for foundation damage right away. You also want to look for any gaps between the wall and the ceiling or between the wall and the floor, with paying close attention to gaps between baseboards as well.
Problems With Windows And Doors
If you begin to notice new problems arising with your doors and windows that you didn’t have before, it could be a sign of foundation problems. When there are foundation problems, interior doors may stick or drag at the top, exterior doors may drag at the threshold or hang down at the top and appear uneven, and double doors may not meet in the middle or hang correctly. You may also notice that there are gaps around your window frames or exterior doors. As the foundation settles, cracks, or shifts, doorways and window frames can experience damage that will cause windows and doors to stick or have trouble opening and shutting properly – if this happens, make sure you contact someone to check your foundation as this is one of the earliest signs of foundation damage and could help you save a lot of money in repairs if caught early.
Signs In The Basement
If your home has a basement, there are many tell-tale signs that can show up that may alert a concern of foundation damage. When in the basement you want to check for any signs of dampness or excess moisture, and pay attention to any unusual smells, especially musty odors. A musty odor is usual caused by mold or mildew. If you are finding mold, mildew, musty smells, puddles, stains, or other water damage in your basement, it may be a sign that excess moisture is seeping in through the cracks in your foundation which is a signal of foundation damage. Along with excess moisture and musty odors in the basement, finding bugs that are drawn to wet areas in the basement such as centipedes, silverfish, carpenter ants, and roaches, may also be an indication that these bugs are getting in through cracks in the foundation.
If you spot any signs of foundation problems you will want to report your finding to your insurance carrier as quickly as possible. They will send a insurance adjuster to inspect your damage and review your claim.
Because your home is the most expensive and most important investment you will likely ever make in your life you want to make sure that you are taking care of it properly and recognizing any signs of serious damage as early as possible, so they can be repaired. But you also want to make sure you have great homeowners’ insurance to protect your home and your finances in case of an unexpected damage. Contact us today to speak with a licensed insurance agent to review your current policy and make sure your Tampa homeowners insurance has the coverage you need to keep yourself and your home protected.
