Does your house have cracked walls and sloping floors? Unfortunately, these are common signs of foundation problems in older San Antonio homes. If a sinking foundation is stressing you out, don’t worry. This guide is here to help. We’ll cover how to identify a sinking foundation and how to fix a sinking foundation in San Antonio.
Plus, we’ll discuss what to do if you’d rather skip the repairs altogether. Sell My House Fast San Antonio TX buys homes for cash, regardless of their condition. Get a hassle-free offer and leave those foundation problems behind.
Learn more about how you can sell your house with foundation issues in San Antonio and move on without the need for extensive repairs.
What Is an Uneven Floor?
An uneven floor has noticeable dips, slopes, or rises that are more than minor imperfections. These issues make walking around your home difficult and can signal a bigger problem. To check for unevenness, look for obvious dips or slopes on the floor.
Then pay attention to any cracks in your flooring, walls, or around doors and windows. If doors don’t shut properly or stick when you try to open them, that’s another red flag. For a more precise check, grab a carpenter’s level. Place it in different spots on the floor to see how far off “level” it is.
Uneven floors aren’t just an annoyance. They’re a real safety hazard and cause tripping risks for you and your family. Over time, uneven floors put a lot of stress on your home’s overall structure. This can cause problems like doors and windows sticking or even lead to further foundation damage.
Why Do San Antonio Homes Have Uneven Floors?
Most San Antonio homes have slab-on-grade foundations. This means your home sits directly on the ground, without a basement or crawlspace. Unfortunately, this makes homes here especially sensitive to shifts in the soil’s moisture levels.
San Antonio has its rainy periods, but those are often followed by long dry spells. The problem is our soil, a lot of it has a high clay content. Clay acts like a sponge. It soaks up water during the wet times, swelling and expanding. Then, when things dry out, it shrinks back down.
This constant expanding and shrinking puts a ton of stress on slab foundations. Too much rain can make the soil push upward on some parts of your foundation, causing those uneven areas. When the soil dries out and shrinks, it can leave your foundation with less support, causing settling and dips. If your home has uneven floors, knowing what’s causing the problem is the first step to finding a solution.
Learn more about the unique soil characteristics of San Antonio TX and how they affect your home’s foundation at the United States Department of Agriculture.
Signs Your Home’s Foundation Might Be Sinking
Keep an eye out for signs of trouble both inside and outside your home. Inside, look for cracks above door frames, on your floors, or near windows and doorways. Doors and windows that suddenly stick or won’t close right can also mean foundation problems.
Next, step outside your home. Do the walls appear perfectly straight, or are any starting to show a slight lean or tilt? Look closely for cracks forming in the exterior walls of your home.
Additionally, check the soil around your foundation. Excessive cracking in the soil, especially during dry periods, can mean the soil is pulling away from the foundation due to shrinking.
Remember, these signs don’t always mean disaster. However, if you need to sell your house fast, it’s best to get any potential foundation issues evaluated by a professional as soon as possible.
Fixing Uneven Floors Caused by a Sinking Foundation
For very small dips, floor patching or shimming might offer a quick fix. But if you have serious foundation problems such as big cracks, major unevenness, or stuck doors and windows, don’t try the repair yourself. Mistakes can be costly and worsen the problem. It’s best to get a professional evaluation.
Professional Repair Options
The first step is managing soil moisture to stop the foundation from moving more. This might mean a root barrier to block tree roots or better drainage around your home. For the actual foundation fix, San Antonio homeowners usually use one of these methods:
- Pilings: These are strong supports driven deep into the ground to hold up and lift a sinking foundation.
- Concrete Lifting (Slab Raising): This uses special grout injected under the foundation to gently raise it back into place.
The right repair depends on the damage, the type of foundation you have, and other things. That’s why you need a good foundation repair company to check your home. If you’re stressed by the idea of repairs, remember you have another option. You can always sell your house as-is to Sell My House Fast SA TX.
Why Ignoring Uneven Floors Can Be Costly
Don’t ignore cracks in your walls or floors, especially if they get bigger. These are signs of foundation problems. Leaving foundation issues unfixed is a risk. Repairs become more expensive the longer you wait. Even worse, a failing foundation can damage the rest of your home, leading to even costlier problems.
Don’t Want to Deal With Uneven Floors? Sell Your San Antonio Home Now
Uneven floors in your San Antonio home, along with cracks, can mean you have a sinking foundation. Catching the problem early helps prevent major damage. If you need to know how to fix a sinking foundation in San Antonio, foundation specialists can help with pilings or concrete lifting. But if you want to skip repairs and get cash fast, Sell My House Fast SA TX will buy your house as-is. You get a fair cash offer fast and skip the hassle of repairs.