Creaking and Cracking: Is Your House Talking to You?
How often does your house try to talk to you? Do you notice creaking and cracking noises at night, when things are quiet? Most of the time, this is just the normal thermal expansion and contraction of your home’s wooden structure and attic beams. It happens often when the air cools in the evening and the wood contracts. It’s not typically something you need to give much thought, but if those creaking sounds increase, it may be time to listen more carefully.
Why? It could be an issue with your foundation. The soil around your house might seem to be stable and still, but did you know that it actually expands and contracts? When the weather is hot and dry, the soil gets dry, too. You have probably noticed on very hot days, how soil can get so hot that it cracks. If you think about all that soil under the house, you can picture how it dries up and contracts during times of heat with no rain. Then, when it does rain, the soil will soak up all of that water and expand, much like a sponge.
What does this have to do with your foundation? Plenty. All this expanding and contracting around and under the house can weaken the stable base supporting the foundation, causing it to settle. If you’re paying attention, you might notice signs of this problem, like cracking walls or floor tiles, windows and doors that stick, and bricks separating from the house. These symptoms warrant a call to a reputable foundation repair company, because having your foundation assessed before the damage becomes extreme means it can be more easily repaired, at a lower cost.
Often, these symptoms don’t represent a serious problem. They may even be able to be improved by simple things you can do yourself, like watering around the house when the weather is hot and dry, or preventing water from pooling around the foundation when there’s a storm. Sometimes, though, you’ll need expert foundation repair services to set things right with your foundation. If your home is making noise, it’s worth checking for the signs and symptoms of foundation settling, and calling in a professional if you notice anything that could prove to be worrisome.
If you’d like to know what your house is trying to say to you, call on the foundation repair experts at Structured Foundation Repairs. Established in 2003, we’ve been building a foundation of trust ever since, providing foundation repair services to residents of the DFW Metroplex. Our motto has always been “Do the Right Thing” and our professional staff faithfully adheres to that, which is why we now repair more homes annually than any other foundation repair contractor in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. For more information about our award-winning service or to schedule an appointment, call 972-349-4430 or contact us through our website.