Given the chance to choose between making a foundation repair and going on a trip, you’d most likely find the option of a trip more exciting. But maybe you would change your mind if you had an idea of the many things that could go wrong by putting off the repair of your foundation.
In this article, we present to you a list of things that can happen if you don’t take your foundation repair seriously. This information is presented by our foundation repair company. We’re experts in foundation repair Peoria.
Repair cost continues to increase
Foundation damage is not like a broken vacuum cleaner or refrigerator that can be repaired at your convenience without any consequences. When left unaddressed, a faulty foundation repair will only continue to get worse with time and spread to other sections of the structure.
When the foundation damage of your home is detected early and remedied immediately, you will be saving a lot of money on extensive repairs in the future. As the destruction widens throughout the structure, restoring the foundation to its proper state will require more material and manpower. This will have a significant implication on the cost of repair.
Water damage
Once there are signs of cracks and crevices on foundation slabs and basement walls, water damage is likely to follow. Structural features made of wood are the most susceptible to moisture damage. Crawl spaces are also affected by water damage.
When water seeps into these foundation defects, cracks continue to widen with repeated wetting and drying. Also, because mold growth is encouraged with increased humidity, wood flooring suffers mold damage and becomes warped with time.
If your basement serves as a storage or living space, your property may be at risk of destruction if water is left to seep in without control.
The spread of structural damage
When the foundation of your home is faulty, it creates a ripple effect, thereby placing a lot of stress and strain on the structure it was meant to support. A foundation that is not stable affects all elements including the floors, walls, wooden cross beams, ceilings, doors, garages, window frames, etc. It is difficult to predict the extent to which structural damage can go if not addressed as soon as possible.
Plumbing problems
Due to the expansion and contraction of subsoil, the concrete slab is lifted, dropped, and dislocated, thereby increasing the chance of the water pipes under the foundation breaking. Without the help of a professional, it can be difficult to diagnose these problems. Unfortunately, pipes under the slabs are not easy to access and so are often expensive to repair.
Also, when the foundation shifts, it can cause damage to the water pipes that run beneath the floors and through the walls. This is because any movement below the foundation can result in structural displacement all over the home.
Insect infestations
Household pests and insects are always in search of humid environments to breed, which is why they find the dark, damp crawl spaces and basements suitable breeding grounds for them. These unwanted insects include carpenter ants, silverfish, termites, mosquitoes, spiders, etc.
Once they get into the gaps and breach in foundation gaps, these insects can cause more destruction than moths. In the occurrence of an infestation, you will be incurring extra costs on hiring an exterminator to get rid of these pests. A delayed repair further increases the cost of repairing the foundation.
Utility bills increase
The construction of most homes is such that they are airtight and well-insulated. When there is a breach in the foundation of your home, either through expansive clay soil or hydrostatic pressure, the insulation systems are compromised. This causes moisture and heat to escape through the damaged areas into the living areas, thereby resulting in cracks, warps, crevices, and sudden gaps in the structural features in the home.
These alterations in the home’s ambiance cause your air conditioner to work harder to maintain optimal temperatures within the home, ultimately resulting in higher utility bills.
Reduction in property value
Homeowners thinking of selling their home are likely to face a huge difficulty if the foundation of the home is defective. When a foundation is left unattended, the property continues to lose value over time, and the selling process becomes complicated.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to conceal a foundation problem when trying to sell the property. Before the completion of the sales transaction, foundation issues are detected by a third-party home inspection. Obviously, no buyer would be interested in a property after foundation damage has been revealed.
Mold and mildew invasion
Much more than insects, mold, and mildew love to invade the dank, dark, and damp subterranean conditions. The invasion of mold and mildew can leave lasting physical damage on the foundation of your home. However, there is more.
A report by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) concludes that the invasion of mold and mildew in your home can cause asthma attacks and allergies to you and your family with various symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, scratching, wheezing, and feeling sick. With a foothold gained, these fungal interlopers can spread and prosper especially if you have moisture issues in your crawl space or basement.
Contractors not showing up early
Considering the fact that the side effects of foundation damage can get completely out of hand over time, it is a good thing to arrange for repairs at the early stages of the damage. Foundation repair companies are often occupied for many weeks, especially during the time of drought. If you swing into action as early as the problem is detected, you will get more flexibility during appointment scheduling.
Bottom Line: Don’t Wait on Foundation Repair Services
You shouldn’t wait until the foundation damage of your home gets out of hand to have your foundation fixed. The most effective approach to protecting your foundation is to engage the service of a professional foundation repair company as soon as you see signs of foundation damage.
With the help of a professional, problems can be detected at a very early stage, sometimes without visible signs of damage. The good thing is that preventative evaluation is usually affordable.
Problems with your foundation will not get better without a repair, but there are many corrective actions that can be taken to ensure that they don’t get worse with time.