Signs of foundation settlement have been confirmed in your home, maybe you already had a foundation repair contractor come out for an in-home inspection and it was verified. You know that the diagonal cracks in your walls and the stair-step cracks in your brick are from the movement of your foundation.
You know just that much so far . . . but you’re on the fence about if it’s really *all that important* to do right away. You’re like, “How do I know if the time is really right to get the repairs done?” Good question.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve walked and talked homeowners through the decision to move forward (or not) with foundation repair *literally thousands* of times in the last 35+ years while serving Brazos Valley communities like Bryan, College Station, Brenham, and Navasota. We can give you the same rundown here.
We will explain two key indicators to help you in making the decision to get foundation repairs completed. We will also head off some common fears and next questions you have while you take the time to make the best decision possible for you and your home.
Making the Decision to Repair Your Home Foundation
There are two ways to determine if settlement signs are an “issue” for you that you might consider repairing. These two indicators can help guide the way to making a foundation repair decision but be forewarned because they are *f-words*. . .
- Functionality
- Feelings
Let’s explore these foundation decision f-words further, you didn’t really think I was going to start swearing, did you?
1. When Signs Cause Something to Not Function Properly
First, does it affect the functionality of your home or is it cosmetic? Some signs of foundation issues just look bad or are imperfect but don’t affect functionality, like wall cracks. They are not pretty, but are they making anything not “work right?”
At first, wall cracks or trim separations outside the home are barely noticeable and are not letting in undesirables. Then, they become a functionality problem when they let air, light, rain, or pests inside where you don’t want them. These signs become “issues” when your home doesn’t function properly by keeping you warm (or cool), dry, and bug-free.
Doors and windows that don’t open or close right are more of a functionality issue that you might look into getting repaired. Any sign of foundation settlement becomes a problem when things don’t work as they should.
Another example would be if your plumbing lines were affected. If your toilet doesn’t flush well, or your tub doesn’t drain properly, then they are not working right and are a functionality problem.
2. When Signs Are Making You Feel Uncomfortable
Part of your home’s job is to make you feel safe, secure, and happy. If you start to have negative feelings and dissatisfaction with your home or don’t feel like your home is protecting you or keeping you secure, then it’s not doing its job.
So your happiness and feelings of safety, security, and protection are important factors in a decision to have foundation repair as well. For example, one of the signs of foundation settlement is doors that don’t latch or close properly.
If you can’t lock your door, you might feel unsafe and want to get that fixed. Conversely, if you can’t open your door, you might feel unsafe about being able to get out in case of an emergency like a fire.
Either way, there are feelings of not being safe (as well as not functioning right in this case) and your home is failing to perform its main job for you in addition to it just not working right.
Flaws, cracks, and larger visual foundation issues can feel embarrassing for homeowners too. So when even cosmetic things begin to make you really unhappy, it’s a *big red flag* that you feel uncomfortable and unsatisfied with your home and should consider getting it fixed.
Is It Safe to Wait on Foundation Repairs While I Try to Decide?
Don’t worry about your home falling over on you while you decide what is best for you and your home. Foundation problems in Central Texas residential homes, like your typical slab-on-grade foundation and pier and beam foundation homes, are not the kind of safety problem where you should be concerned with personal injury or walls toppling in.
In 99.6% of cases (ok, that’s a made-up number but it’s nearly all) your home is safe to live in even if you have foundation settlement or foundation problems. We have only seen a handful of homes *as in less than 5* where conditions were unlivable.
Those cases were due to sudden weather events and were not rooted in the typical causes of foundation settlement. Foundation problems happen so slowly and gradually that they do not create unsafe conditions for homeowners to live with while they are waiting for repairs or are still deciding what to do.
Are There Reasons to Wait or Not Wait on Foundation Repair?
While you are waiting for the *foundation repair spirits* to move you in one direction or another, you might wonder if there are any compelling reasons to wait or not wait on getting your foundation repairs completed. Why yes, there are a little of both as a matter of fact!
Since 1985, Anchor Foundation Repair has been advising homeowners on their foundations in Bryan, College Station, and surrounding Brazos Valley communities like Madisonville, Caldwell, and more. We make it a point to provide homeowners with 100% transparent information on foundation issues.
Sometimes we recommend holding off for a while and sometimes we suggest moving forward on repairs. Check out both in one stunning article: “Should I Do Foundation Repairs or Not? Now, Later, or Never.”