If my house has settled 1 1/2 inches, why am I not seeing more interior damage? Where are the cracks in the dry wall? Why aren’t my doors having trouble closing and opening?
There are a couple of possible reasons for this. The most common is that the wood framing and interior finishes are made of materials that are more flexible and forgiving than the rigid concrete foundation. Also, when a house settles the wood framed portion will often not settle as quickly as the foundation. In other words, the house hasn’t caught up with the foundation yet and is slightly suspended above the foundation. The framing will eventually sag and catch up the foundation movement. When this happens, the stress cracks will most likely show up first.
The cracks will also point you to the direction of the fall. So follow that crack line and look at the direction it is pointing. This will in all likelihood be the side of the home that is settling the most.
Understanding the underlying causes of foundation settlement is an important step for every foundation expert at KC Pier applies to design an appropriate solution for your home. Contact us for a free consultation.