There are many different projects associated with home maintenance. Keeping your home carefully maintained will preserve the value of your home and make it possible for you to resell your home for a higher price than you bought it. Also, carefully maintaining your home will prevent you from having to spend thousands of dollars on costly home repairs that can result from damage caused by irregular maintenance. Many homeowners balk at the idea of performing maintenance, but homeowners who regularly check the roof, walls, and foundation of their home will find that maintenance jobs can be tackled with relative ease. One important aspect of outdoor home maintenance is checking and repairing the foundation of your home.

The Purpose of a Solid House Foundation

A house's foundation is its most important structural component, and maintaining the foundation of your home is the surest way to preserve and prolong the life of your house. Most foundations are made of poured concrete, and this foundation must be monitored to ensure that no cracks have developed or that no shifting has occurred. Some homes have basements which act as the foundation of the home while other houses simply have a ground level of poured concrete.

Problems That Can Occur with Foundations

Because the foundation of your home is most likely poured concrete, there are several problems that can occur that must be addressed immediately. During the winter months, perpetually wet weather and heavy precipitation can have an adverse effect on the foundation of your home. When moisture seeps into the concrete of your foundation, the freezing temperatures associated with the winter months can cause this water to freeze, expand, and crack the foundation. Cracks in your foundation can lead to serious problems such as shifts in the foundation of your house or substantial leaks which can cause flooding. Foundations can also sink if the ground around your home was not properly packed before the foundation was poured. Houses that are built on soil that has a high sand or clay content are at a higher risk of experiencing settling foundations.

How To Know if There Is A Problem

It is relatively easy to identify foundation issues in your home. When the winter weather subsides, a quick walk around the outside of your home, or around the interior of your basement, can help you to identify issues with your foundation. If you see any large cracks in the concrete of your foundation, these cracks must be filled or patched immediately. You can also identify foundational issues if your floors are sagging or warped or the doors inside your home are difficult to open or close.

Fixing Foundational Issues

There are many options for fixing foundational issues, but many homeowners opt to hire professionals to deal with their house's foundational problems. Because the foundation of the home is so critical to the house's survival, a professional's help is usually suggested. Professionals can either lift the foundation of your home with wedges or fill in cracks and spaces with a mixed grout material.

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