Summer is now in full swing with the heat rising in July and everyone wanting to get out of quarantine. Luckily, the second phase of stage two openings has happened in Maryland. Businesses are starting to reopen cautiously with customers and workers’ health in mind.
Some restaurants have opened patios, porches, and terraces at full capacity and indoor dining areas at half capacity. Indoor and outdoor pools can open under strict guidelines, so there is still a chance that families can beat the hot summer humidity with cool chlorine waters*. This is welcome news after days, weeks, and months have melded together due to quarantine schedules and it may be over by fall.
Since the announcement of the government shut down, people have been staying at home to combat the Coronavirus and make sure hospitals were not overwhelmed. With more time at home, you may have noticed a few things. The couch is still comfy after a few hours of binge-watching a new show. The oven in the kitchen spreads warm air while cooking your meal and that’s great news for cold bare feet. The photos of great-grandma were in the attic all this time and there are a few frames still around.
When you were hanging the photos did you notice a small or hairline crack in the wall? Did you smell a strange odor in the house as you searched for the perfect spot? These small nuisances could be your house telling you that your home foundation may be cracking and need structural repair. Luckily, you can catch visible warnings early and there are more signs your house may use. Have you encountered
- damp carpets, usually in the basement or first floor in the house?
- damp drywall, if you smell sweaty gym socks or other foul odors there may be a damp spot in your walls and even mold?
- discoloration of walls, when the foundation moves then the whole house will move causing pipes to be strained and start to leak or there could be cracks?
- Puddles, if you don’t have any leaking appliances this may be a sign that water is getting into the house through cracks in the foundation?
- flooding in the basement, when another heavy summer storm comes to your neighborhood and your basement is full of water then there are cracks in the foundation?
- bowing or buckling walls, if your foundation walls are curving into the house like a cave in taking its time then your house is in danger?
These are signs of your foundation failing, and you may have seen most of these early signs are due to water. This relates back to what causes foundations to crack with the most likely culprits being unstable soil surrounding the foundation or a poor drainage system. To fix this problem it’s important to call the professionals who can do the structural repair in the Maryland area.
M Taylor Enterprise professionals can help in Prince George and Silver Spring, MD area. If you are worried about your foundation or need structural repair in Maryland call (301) 649-3406 or email matt@mtaylorenterprise.com and protect your home so it can protect you.
*For more information on Maryland reopening phases and other COVID news click here.
