Structural movement is a significant concern for many homeowners. There are plenty of different reasons your home may be moving, and it can be challenging to figure this out the best way to deal with it. This blog post will discuss what structural movement is and how you can identify if your home has moved structurally. We will also look at ways to stop or reduce the amount of structural movement in your home so that you don’t have to worry about these issues!
What is subsidence?
It is not uncommon that a home may be sinking due to soil subsidence. This occurs when the weight of the earth above it gradually compresses and causes your house to sink. The reasons for this could include long-term usage, flooding in recent years or even natural occurrences such as earthquakes or climate change! Soil conditions also have an impact on whether or not a person’s home will sink, so if you are worried about structural movement, then make sure you know what type of soil lies beneath your property.
This sort of problem can usually occur in places with heavy rainfall and low-lying areas near streams where water has been able to seep underground over time with little obstruction from topsoils.
What can cause subsidence?
Subsidence can be caused by so many factors, including natural occurrences such as earthquakes and climate change.
Some other causes are soil conditions – this can depend on the type of soil that lies beneath your property. Is your house located in an area that has heavy rainfall or low-lying areas near streams, subsidence may occur due to water seeping underground over time with little obstruction from topsoils.
Flooding also falls into this category, so make sure what impact any flooding might have had when deciding whether the structural movement will become a problem for you.
Foundations found in old homes.
The foundations of older homes are vulnerable to any structural movement as they were built on land that is more likely to suffer from subsidence for the reasons outlined above.
If you live in an area where these factors apply, it’s essential to be aware of signs before problems occur, and there might not always be a visible sign when this starts happening, which we will cover soon.
How can trees also cause subsidence?
Trees can cause subsidence to a house by undermining the foundations. This problem is most likely to occur if your home has an upper floor or two and there’s a large tree just by it because this will cause the roots of the tree to grow into any soft ground that exists below your property line.
What to do with trees?
If you are worried at all about your house being undermined by a tree that is close to or on the boundary of your land, then it’s best to have an arborist assess the issue.
What should be done if I’m worried about my foundation being damaged by a nearby tree? The solution would be for an arborist to examine the situation and identify where the structural movement starts happening so damage cannot occur further down the track. So get professional help if you are worried at all.
Does my house insurance cover subsidence?
This does depend, but most claims are never accepted, but it is always worth trying as they might surprise you.
How to properly deal with subsidence?
Structural movement can be an issue that plagues homeowners for years and often ends up being costly to fix. Contact a local contractor who specializes in structural problems right away! They will know if they have seen other homes with similar problems due to their specific area and construction history.
What is underpinning?
Underpinning is a term for what happens when you need to underpin your home.
Structural movement can be an issue that plagues homeowners for years and often ends up being costly to fix. Contact a local contractor who specializes in structural problems right away! They will know if they have seen other homes with similar problems due to their specific location and common issues.
Cracking, Bowing and leaning walls
If you notice cracking, bowing or leaning walls, it’s time to contact a contractor. They will tell if the issue is structural movement due to what they have seen in their work and construction experience. Speaking to a local contractor who carries out kent structural repairs have told us “so many people leave the damage or the cracks to get too bad, if they had just contacted us earlier then the problem could have been rectified far cheaper” So if in doubt get hold of a professional
Structural movement can be challenging to identify and hard to deal with. But once you know what’s causing it, the task of stopping or reducing its effects becomes a lot more manageable. The best way for all homeowners to deal with structural issues is to consult an expert in this field; they will have all sorts of solutions that could work well for your home!