Most of us don’t rush out to repair cracks in our foundation, but we should. Small cracks likely don’t seem like a big problem, but the problem is, they can become so.
Our foundations are the very base our homes are built on and they need care and maintenance. They hold our homes up and small repairs are much better than larger, expensive ones.
Repair Cracks in Your Foundation
Cracks in concrete are common, but letting them get bigger without paying attention will result in more damages and other problems with your foundation and the entire house.
Moisture Problems
Moisture getting into your basement and the rest of the house is never good news. It can cause a lot of damage in a lot of areas of your home. Even small cracks will allow moisture to get in.
Once the water is allowed to seep in the small cracks, it keeps moving. The longer these cracks are left to get wet, the worse off the problem will be. Moisture will get into the basement.
Moisture also can mean mold, mildew, and bugs. Mold can grow very quickly and cause odor problems and irritate allergies and other respiratory concerns. Bugs getting in can mutate very rapidly.
Safety First
Repair cracks in your foundation as soon as you find them. They need to be filled and sealed to prevent them from getting bigger. A weak foundation poses a lot of problems, and safety is a big one.
Left to their own devices, these cracks will weaken the entire wall or slab. This can cause the walls to bow or collapse. If it’s on the exterior of your house or your chimney, then these need to be filled in to avoid the same thing or falling bricks.
It’s hard to know what is going on behind your foundation walls. All too often, by the time you see a problem with the cracks, like water getting in, there could be a great deal of damage already that you know nothing about.
Prevent Complications
When you call a professional to repair cracks in your foundation, they are not only going to fix them but find out why they are happening at all. Your professional foundation contractor will perform a thorough inspection to find out why there are cracks.
They will also look at any other problems there may be, any potential issues you should be concerned about, and they will give you some recommendations on how to look after your foundation.
Foundation Problems Lead to Other Problems
Some cracks are going to be worse than others. You should never try to fix these yourself, even small cracks and free online DIY videos. You need to have a professional look at them.
If the foundation problems are left too long, other areas start to be affected. The walls, the floors, your roof, ceilings, and all other areas are at risk. Once the house starts to shift or tilt, then you are looking at a lot of time-consuming and expensive repairs.
Repair Cracks in Your Foundation
Some cracks are perfectly normal but that doesn’t mean you should just ignore them. Call an expert to come in and take a look. A new house doesn’t exempt you from inspections and staying on top of repairs.
Give us a call here at Olson Foundation Repair to schedule a service call or check out some of your cracks or damages that need to be repaired. You don’t want to leave them too long as it will cost you a lot more than it needs to.