One of the most devastating issues that can happen in your home is structural damage. Structural damage usually occurs in the home’s crawl space due to water or excessive moisture. Here in the Pacific Northwest, water in your crawl space is a very common issue that, unless treated, can result in serious foundation damage.
Warning Signs of Structural Issues:
Cracks in interior drywall walls
Off-track doors and windows
Squeaky and sloped floors
Gaps around chimney and fireplace
Why might structural damage happen to your home?
Appearance of cracks on the interior walls as a result of damaged post and piers
Water and Moisture: This is the main cause for structural damage, especially foundation settlement. Standing water in your crawl space will eventually saturate the ground and cause the piers and footings to sink, rot support posts and compromise the integrity of the entire house structure.
Sloped Ground Shape: When the house is built on land that isn’t even and flat, there is a risk of the ground sloping toward the lower area of the crawl space and sinking underneath piers and posts, which will compromise the support those posts provide to the foundation.
Examples of Structural Damage:
Foundation settlement
Rotted wood
Tilted piers
Loss of support
Preventive Structural Care Solutions:
It’s very important to inspect and monitor your crawl space periodically. Proactively identifying issues in the crawl space and resolving them before damage can happen will save repair costs.