7 Places You Should Be Checking Around Your Home (but Aren't)

A shifting foundation is a blueprint for disaster. The first warning signs are usually cracks in walls, uneven floors, and doors and windows that don't operate correctly. "The No. 1 problem I see [in homes] is the foundation, which is usually caused by [inadequate drainage of] water," says Yuriy Stakhiv, owner of Handyman Force in Aurora, Colo. "If the foundation moves, your doors go off level. They squeak and do not close properly, and the windows have problems closing." (If doors and windows have always opened and closed without any trouble, then suddenly started sticking or have moved out of alignment, a sinking foundation could be to blame. If they've always operated poorly, you're probably just the victim of poor installation.)

Soil can expand when wet and contract when dry, putting pressure on the foundation or leaving voids in the ground into which the foundation can sink. This can also lead to a leaky or damp basement. The best solution is to keep an eye on your foundation and improve the grading around the house so rainwater runs away from the foundation instead of into it. Stakhiv says to walk around the house and inspect the foundation annually. "Make a note of any cracks you haven't seen before?even spider cracks," he says, adding that homeowners should also look for places were the soil is pushed away from the foundation, which could allow water to enter the basement.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/interior/7-places-you-should-be-checking-around-your-home-but-arent?src=rss

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