When Do You Need House Leveling?

When Do You Need House Leveling?

A house that needs leveling is a house whose foundation has shifted, leaving the house sloped and uneven. Most of the indicators are those that homeowners are forewarned to look for - cracks in the walls, doors that won't close, and plumbing issues that result in slow drainage.

Here are 10 signs you need house leveling.

  1. Your doors and windows stick and/or are hard to open and close.
  2. Your floors are uneven or sinking in areas.
  3. There is separation in your wall and the floor.
  4. You have cracks in your sheetrock.
  5. You have cracks in the mortar on the outside of your home.
  6. You have cracks in the corners of your doors and windows.
  7. Your chimney is leaning and pulling away from the rest of the home.
  8. Your moldings are separating from your walls.
  9. Your countertops are not level.
  10. Your tile is cracking or separating from your foundation.

Causes of Foundation Settling

There are a few reasons why your house may have settled poorly and led to foundation issues. Sometimes, it is just because a house has settled naturally, and is now uneven. However, sometimes, it is due to other things as well.

One example is that the soil underneath the foundation was not properly backfilled. This can cause the soil to shift and settle in other places, which means that the foundation can settle at different, uneven levels.

Another cause is expansive soils. Expansive soils are those that expand and shrink with different weather conditions, much like that of the soil that is popular in Houston and its surrounding cities.

These soils, which are common in our area, will absorb water and expand, or shrink when a dry period hits. This constant growing and shrinking can cause a foundation to become unsettled. Tree roots are also a large risk to a foundation, due to the fact that they can absorb the water from around the house and cause the foundational soil to become overly dry and shift.

Pros of Leveling

  • Restores all functionality to the foundation as well as doors, windows, trim, etc.
  • Removes embarrassment, worry, doubt, and frustration about your home's working order and cosmetic appearance.
  • Corrects the underlying source of symptoms rather than band-aiding the individual signs you see around the home.

Pier and Beam Foundations

Pier and beam foundations will fail for many reasons. Water damage and termites are just two of the causes of a pier and beam foundation failing. Unlike a home with a slab-on-grade foundation, these houses already have piers beneath them.

The house will be leveled by replacing the damaged piers with new concrete piers or by using additional piers to stabilize the structure. Then, the technicians will level the wood beams and joist beneath the home. All these will strengthen the existing structure and level the house for many years to come.

In addition, using braces and rods is an effective method for shoring up sagging floors and damaged supports. Another method is to fortify existing piers by installing pilings beneath them. The need to add or replace beams and piers will depend on the extent of the damage.

The first step in doing any home repair is to educate yourself. Talk to friends that have had similar work done to their homes. Read what the experts have to say on leveling a home in Houston. Last but not least, check with the BBB to avoid getting taken advantage of by unethical contractors.

Pier and Beam Adjustment

Crawlspaces are often upheld by piers and beams, and over time, those piers and beams can become weakened, thus making the foundation prone to sinking. We realign your piers and repair any fallen beams in order to strengthen them and stabilize your crawlspace foundation.

Pier and Beam Adjustment Pros:

  • Simple. This is not a complete overhaul but rather a reinforcement of a system that you already have, which can make the labor less intensive and the cost a little easier.
  • Top Products. We use top products backed by careful installation to ensure that this form of house leveling holds up for years.
  • Analysis Backed. We start this process with a 27-point analysis so we can pinpoint exactly what the problem might be before committing to pier and beam adjustment.

Pier and Beam Adjustment Cons:

Specific. The main drawback to this version of house leveling is that it’s specific to crawlspaces. If you have a different kind of foundation, then this won’t apply for obvious reasons.

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