JUST BECAUSE IT’S COLD OUT DOESN’T MEAN YOUR FOUNDATION ISSUE WILL GO AWAY

We get it. Holiday season is over. You’re just back from that big trip and kids have to go to school. It’s a million degrees below outside and dark by four. The lassssst thing on your mind is that leaky foundation you noticed last fall. The truth is, putting off problems with your home’s foundation can increasingly compromise the integrity of your house over time. The longer you ignore them, the more expensive the repairs can become.

When it comes to foundations, time doesn’t heal all wounds.

Quite the opposite. A weakened foundation can only get worse. In fact, the effect of cumulative damage can inevitably become so severe that the structure it was meant to support becomes strained and stressed.

Ceilings, walls, window frames, and attached garages – any damage will only become worse if left unattended for too long.

What started as a quick fix can escalate, as will the costs.

Foundation weaknesses can spread throughout your home, the longer you wait to fix them, the more expensive it will be to resolve. With foundation cracks, you need to act as quickly as possible once you spot the first signs.

Water. Good for plants and fish. Not so good for your home.

Cracks in walls, windows, or chimneys that are caused by foundation issues can lead to water leaking into your home. Even in winter, water can seep into your house without you knowing during thaws, which is why you should always keep an eye out for signs of water in your basement.

Your basement smelled last summer.

During the summer, moisture leaks in or the basement floods during storms, and your basement can develop mold.

Unfortunately, mold isn’t something you can ignore or wish away. Once it takes hold, it is insidious. It may grow slower during the winter months when the ground is frozen, but once it warms up, you’ll really begin to see (smell) the problem.

More than an annoyance, mold in your home can cause headaches, stuffy noses, irritated airways, and other allergic reactions. It can also weaken walls and eventually cause saggy floor joists.

Mold remediation can eliminate mold in the short term, but you must address the reason that it was there in the first place.

Plumbing issues incoming!

The foundation of your house is just as important as the plumbing in it. Ignoring any issues with its base can lead to a variety of other problems, like pipes breaking and flooding from water pressure or lack thereof.

Increased heating costs

When foundation problems occur, your house is shifting on the ground below it. Look for cracks, newly jammed doors, or windows that stop opening and closing properly. These shifts can also cause outside air leakage, which in turn will cause your heating system to run more to compensate. Fixing your foundation might be the one thing you missed when looking at utility cost saving options.

Reduced property value

These days, everyone insists on a home inspection before making an offer (or they should, anyways). A damaged foundation can be a major “X” on the inspection report when it comes to selling your house. That quick sale you were looking forward to could be delayed or even rejected if the report shows foundation damage that could have been taken care of beforehand.

Long story short? Fix that foundation now before things really get out of hand

Shield Foundation Repair has over 35 years of experience dealing with all manner of foundation issues throughout the Edmonton area, and we work all year long. For any manner of leakage, moisture or mold issues, new or old, call us today to talk to one of our friendly staff.

Shield Foundation Repair works all year long