Quick Test to Check if Foundation Has Settled

There is a few tell-tale signs that help to show if foundation settlement has occurred in your home. We want to show you a quick and easy test that you can perform in a matter of minutes to inspect your own home.

3 Signs Of Foundation Settlement

1. Look for Visual Clues

Visually, you might not be able to see a 2 inch slope over the length of your home, but you can see if the chimney is leaning away from the house. Check the outside for clues that the soils have failed around your home. Major cracks in the foundation, stucco has a vertical crack, the siding is not level as it once was are a few quick outside indicators that show the problem might be with your foundation.

Some visual indicators on the inside of your home are cracks in the walls. Typically, a crack will show up around the corner of a door/window frame. The crack will be as a result of movement in the foundation of your home. Also check the ceiling for any gaps which is another way to visually see if settlement has occurred.

On both the inside and outside of your house, many homeowners tend to cover up any visual indicators. Instead of actually fixing the problem for good, patchwork is applied. It could be tuckpointing cracked brick on the outside brick veneer, patching over drywall cracks, replacing latches, planing doors, etc. These are not permanent fixes as it doesn’t address the fact that the foundation is continuing to settle.

2. Check Doors and Windows

Another test to perform is to look over all of the door and windows to ensure that they work smoothly. When a door is hung for the first time, it is made level and square. Over time, because of settlement, the door might be sticky or you need to plane it often to keep it free flowing. This is a temporary fix and a true indicator that the house is settling. Windows are very similar and if they become stick or don’t perform like they used to, it could be an indicator for a foundation problem.

3. Marble trick

Go to the uppermost floor of your house. Do you feel like you are walking on a slope? Now place a marble on the ground of a flat surface. If the marble is rolling around towards the edge it will confirm that your house is slanted.

Try these tricks and if you have any questions, feel free to call us and we will give a free estimate.