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home structural repair

Is It Safe to Live in a Home with Structural Repair Issues?

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Our home is not just a shelter. Our home is a place where we feel safe, secure, and protected. 

But what happens when your home has structural repair issues? Is it safe to still live there? It depends on the severity of the issues and their potential risks. Some home structural issues may be cosmetic or minor, while others can compromise the stability and safety of the entire structure. It’s crucial to accurately assess the severity of the problem before making any decisions.

Here are home structural repair issues and their safety considerations: 

  1. Foundation issues: Cracks in the foundation, uneven settling, or shifting can affect the entire framework of the house. If you suspect foundation problems, it’s essential to consult with a structural engineer to determine the extent of the damage and the necessary repairs.
  2. Wall and roof leaks: Leaks in the walls or roof can weaken the structure and lead to mold growth, which can affect indoor air quality and pose health risks. 
  3. Wall or ceiling cracks: Small cracks in walls or ceilings might be due to normal settling, but large or rapidly growing cracks can indicate more serious issues. 
  4. Termite or pest damage: Pests like termites can cause significant damage to the wood structure of a home. If left untreated, this damage can weaken the integrity of the building. Regular pest inspections and prompt treatment are crucial.
  5. Aging and deterioration: Older homes may show signs of wear and tear due to aging. A thorough inspection can help determine if the home’s structural integrity is compromised.
  6. Electrical and plumbing issues: Faulty electrical or plumbing systems can lead to safety hazards and potential damage to the structure. If not repaired, it may lead to fires, flooding, and related structural problems.

Living in a home with structural issues can pose various safety concerns:

  1. Health Risks: Water leaks and mold growth, can impact indoor air quality and pose health risks to residents, particularly those with allergies or respiratory conditions. ***
  2. Collapse Risk: It can lead to partial or complete collapse of the building. This poses an imminent threat to the safety of occupants.
  3. Resale Value: Structural problems can reduce the resale value of a property. If you’re planning to sell your home, these issues must be resolved. 
  4. Maintenance Costs: Structural issues can lead to further damage and higher repair costs over time. Prompt repairs can save you money in the long run.

If you suspect your home has structural issues, it’s important to consult with professionals:

  1. Structural Engineer: A licensed structural engineer can assess the severity of the issues and recommend appropriate repairs and provide an unbiased evaluation of the situation.
  2. Home Foundation Repair Contractor: A contractor specializing in foundation, roofing, plumbing, etc., can provide estimates and execute the necessary repairs.

If you’re waiting on structural repairs, there are precautions you can take to minimize risks:

  1. Limit Use: Don’t place heavy loads on areas that show signs of structural problems. This can help prevent further damage.
  2. Monitor Changes: Watch cracks, shifts, or other changes in the structure. Document any developments. 
  3. Address Safety Hazards: If there are immediate safety hazards, like exposed wiring or shaky support beams, take steps to mitigate these risks.

Some issues may only require minor repairs, while others can compromise the safety of occupants. Promptly addressing structural issues through professional assessments and repairs will help maintain a safe and secure living environment.

M Taylor Enterprise has an expert home structural repair team that can inspect your home to see if you have any home structural issues. Call our home foundation and structural repair experts in Maryland at (301) 649-3406 or email matt@mtaylorenterprise.com. We will do a free consultation, make recommendations, then do any needed repairs quickly and efficiently. 

We serve Montgomery County, MD, parts of Prince George’s, MD, and Howard County, MD.

*** For more information on the health risks of mold, visit the CDC website.   

Foundation Repair

Landscaping Tips That Will Protect Your Home Foundation

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Your home foundation usually doesn’t become a topic of conversation until something bad (and expensive) happens to it. When it cracks or floods, you call us to assess it and repair it. 

While we appreciate your business, there are things you can do this summer that will save you a lot of stress and money. One of the ways to protect your home foundation is to do landscaping, the right way. 

Here are five landscaping tips that will help you protect your home foundation:

  1. Plant trees away from your home foundation: This sounds like it should be pretty obvious, but I have spoken with many clients who love trees and have planted them too close to the foundation. Soon, the roots grow and break through the foundation, causing costly damage. So, plant trees far away from the foundation. 
  2. Leave sections of the home foundation exposed. Too much moisture is also bad for the foundation. Leave some of it visible so it is not moist year-round. 
  3. Don’t cover drains and outlets. Keep all drains and outlets open. Avoid planting anything in front of it which will impede it from draining.
  4. Flower beds should slope away from the foundation. Check the grading of your landscaping. It should not have any water pooling around the foundation. A 9”-10” drop is recommended for the first ten feet around the home. This prevents moisture from accumulating under the home foundation (5% slope away from the foundation). Erosion will occur if there is no slope. 
  5. Water evenly in the areas that are not landscaped. Don’t focus on just one area of the land around the home for landscaping. The soil will eventually expand as it’s likely to be watered the most. As we have discussed in past blogs, expansion of the soil leads to cracks in the foundation. Watering the area around the home evenly will protect the home foundation from eroding from too much water or moisture. 

As you can see, landscaping is a crucial part of taking care of your home foundation. Keeping it from getting too much water or not enough water, is quite important to the health of your home foundation. It takes a few hours a month, but it may save you many heartaches and give a lot of your money to home foundation repair contractors like myself. 

M Taylor Enterprise home foundation repair contractors can consult in Prince George, Montgomery County, and Howard County, MD. If you have seen any of these cracks in your home foundation, call our home foundation and structural repair experts in Maryland at (301) 649-3406 or matt@mtaylorenterprise.com. We will do a free consultation, make recommendations then do any needed repairs done quickly and efficiently. 

Foundation Repair

Home Foundation Repair: Types of Foundation Cracks

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Not all cracks in your foundation are alike.

In fact, the break in the fabric of your home foundation may indicate the type and severity of the problem. It deserves investigation.

Here are the types of cracks in the home foundation: 

  1. Stair foundation cracks: If you have a brick foundation, you may see a diagonal crack (45-degree angle) that resembles stairs. This occurs when the brick is pulled apart by the foundation. If you have a brick façade, you may see the same type of split as the façade is attached to the splitting foundation.
  2. Vertical foundation cracks: These are the ones we see most often in the DMV area. It is a crack that is gradually widening. It may even resemble a spider web with many little vertical cracks. This is a sign that your home foundation is slowly crumbling. This may mean that the soil under your home is shifting. It may also indicate that the section of the home is being pushed up and away from the foundation. This movement creates a breach and can be quite serious. 
  3. Horizontal foundation cracks: When the soil shifts under the home foundation, a horizontal crack may appear. It may also be that there are several different types of soil under the home. Once one part of the soil shifts, it then causes the shifting movement in the other soils. This stress reverberates through the foundation shearing the foundation horizontally. One horizontal crack may mean that the soil is tearing the bottom part of the foundation from the upper part of the foundation. If there are several horizontal foundation cracks, this may indicate that soil is pushing in following the expansion. 

If you have seen any of these cracks on your home foundation, they cannot be ignored. As we have discussed in past blogs, you will see all the telltale signs, and the longer you wait, the more expensive and extensive the repairs will be to your home foundation.  

M Taylor Enterprise home foundation repair contractors can do a consultation in Prince George and Silver Spring, MD area. If you have seen any of these cracks in your home foundation, call our home foundation and structural repair experts in Maryland at (301) 649-3406 or matt@mtaylorenterprise.com. We will do a free consultation, make recommendations then do any needed repairs done quickly and efficiently.