Spring is a Great Time to Check Your Foundation
Spring is the perfect time to check your foundation, especially in Southern California. Winter in California is essentially the same as the rainy season for many other regions of the United States. Why does this matter? Moisture!
One of the primary sources of potential foundation damage comes from shifting soil or soil expansion. Heavy rains and winter moisture can lead to extensive soil expansion that can damage your foundation. Similarly during the summer and dry season soil can shrink and contract. That’s why Sure Safe recommends performing regular inspections, especially after the winter rains.
How to do a quick self-inspection
While Sure Safe recommends having a professional inspection performed at regular intervals, you can also perform your own inspection and potentially spot some of the issues yourself. To perform a surface-level inspection do the following:
Walk the perimeter of the home looking for issues in the stem (supporting) walls. Problem signs include:
Cracks in the wall
Signs of water damage
Shifting or sinking soil
Wall and foundation separation
Walk the interior walls of the home looking for any of the above.
Check doors and windows. If they stick or don’t open smoothly there may be foundation issues.
Check the floor of your home for bowing or sagging areas.
Check your crawl space or basement for water damage, rotting wood, and interior stem wall issues.
If you notice any issues like cracks, water damage, soil problems, or misalignment it’s probably time to get a professional inspection.
Sure Safe can help make repairs and prevent damage
Just as with your health, preventative care is the best strategy. If you’ve noticed any issues or your foundation inspection shows any problems, it’s usually best to make repairs as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your home.
That’s where Sure Safe comes in. Sure Safe creates an individualized engineer-certified repair plan for every home. That means you only pay for what you need, which could be individual pier replacement, foundation modernization, Brace and Bolt earthquake preparedness, or even nothing at all if your home is in good shape. Let Sure Safe help make your home strong again today!
