Hello World! Welcome Friends! As a homeowner, you need to keep a close eye on your home’s condition. Structural problems are a costly reality. A house, like any other asset, becomes impaired over time.
Without enough attention, your roof can leak and the walls crumble before you have time to stop a major catastrophe.
A leaking roof is an obvious problem. It’s among the structural problems anyone can spot. Yet, more issues can destroy your home. You can’t trace all these issues unless you get a hint of the signs to look out for.
Here are some of the top signs to help you counter structural problems and avoid unnecessary repairs at all costs.
Basement Smells
Many people often ignore basement smell because it doesn’t seem like a serious structural problem. The moist air in basements from the environment can seep into the walls and cause the smelly mold or mildew.
Mold builds up when there is intense humidity. So, basement smell can signal wall cracks, floor cracks, and malfunctioning fixtures. The smell can also signal drains and malfunctioning appliances.
When there’s a smell in the basement, look out for leakages, cracks, and problems such as warping. Also, check the walls for bulging or bowing. A bulging basement wall can mean foundational issues.
Sagging, Stained or Peeling Ceilings
Ceilings can peel, stain, sag, or crack. All these signs are hints that there could be something wrong with your house. If you don’t solve these problems soon enough, you can end up replacing the entire ceiling.
Ceiling stain, sagging, or peeling may indicate water in your ceiling. That means there is possibly roof damage, a clogged gutter, an ice dam, or a broken shingle. Other reasons could include broken pipes and leaking shower fittings. To prevent further damage, contact a roofing or a plumbing company to fix any problems at the source.
If there is poor ventilation, excess humidity can also affect the ceiling and cause molds. A bowing or cracking ceiling is a severe structural problem. It may be a sign of a damaged wall stud or bad house foundation.
Warped Floors
A warped floor can be bad news for a homeowner. Pulling out an entire floor and replacing can be costly and stressful. But if you keep an eye out, you’ll notice the signs before the worst happens.
Floors can warp because of moisture and humidity. Water and temperature transitions are some primary causes of these problems. Warping is much more severe as it can cause irreversible plan disfigurements.
Stagnant water, leaks, and heavy moisture under the floor can also cause this issue. To prevent further warping, fix leakages, dehumidify, or regulate a room’s humidity levels.
Odd Smells from Switches or Outlets
Sometimes a burned-plastic smell can spill out in your home but you can’t point out the cause. These odors can signify problems with electrical wiring, circuits, outlets. The smells are difficult to track but you must do your best to determine their source.
Any electrical problem is hazardous as it can cause fires if not repaired well. The smell usually comes from an overheating chemical or plastic that comprises circuits.
Electrical problems that can cause odd smells include:
- Undersized wiring
- Overloading circuits
- Loose plugs
- Short circuits
- Damaged electrical insulation
- Sparking outlets
If you smell a fishy, burned plastic or urine-like odors, call your electrician.
Flickering Lights
Flickering lights can be a sign of a dangerous electrical problem. Sometimes it’s normal and not a cause to worry you but you should know the difference. For instance, some bulbs or lighting designs flicker more than others.
Meanwhile, fluorescent lights flicker for a few minutes after switching on until they reach peak brightness. Flickering from a loose bulb or faulty switches isn’t typically a severe issue. These are problems you can fix with ease.
If the light flickers after turning on an appliance, your home may have fluctuating voltage. Contact your electrician for a further audit. If you can not trace the cause of flickering, switch off the circuit breaker before calling your technician.
Door and Window Problems
Windows and doors can stick because of settled, shifted, or deteriorating crawl spaces. You might also have a structural problem if the windows or the doors stick, jam, or crack.
An unstable foundation can shift to destroy door frames. The shifts can make doors and windows not to lock or crack. Eventually, the door can jam entirely and cause a lot of stress.
Recurring Mold
Mold can occur in any humid or damp environment. Leakages, flooding, poor ventilation, and condensation can also cause mold. You need to check all mold-prone places before ruling out the source.
Excess mold can be a sign of a leaking roof, leaking pipe, cracks, or HVAC problems. Mold around your yard and basement can mean structural problems or it can reveal a poorly built drainage system.
Roof Vent or Attic Problems
Roof ventilation influences your house’s strength, energy efficiency, interior climate, and comfort. Pests invasion, poor ventilation, excess heat, and roof mold may signal a vent or attic problem. Find out more information about pests that would cause this problem to address it right away.
Attic openings create an entry point for mice and rodents. In the winter, the openings allow warm air to exit your building. This can also increase your heat bills, as you’ll use more energy.
Black mold on your walls or roof may be a sign of poor attic ventilation. The reduced ventilation can cause rusting of metal components such as roof nails and plumbing. Rusting nails and metals can cause the worst structural problems.
Addressing these issues promptly is essential to prevent costly repairs and maintain a healthy home environment. Regular Attic Projects Cleaning can help remove debris, pests, and mold buildup, ensuring your attic remains well-ventilated and free from contaminants. By keeping the attic clean and properly ventilated, you can extend the life of your roof and improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Slanting/Uneven Floor
Sometimes a floor which has always been flat starts to slope. A sloping floor means structural problems such as rotting wood supports or poorly fixed joists.
Aging homes are more likely to have sagging or sloping floors. Many homeowners assume the problem as a usual case of owning an old house.
Replacing a slanting floor could be expensive and complicated. It’s best to consult a structural engineer or contractor to audit the problem.
Have You Noticed Structural Problems Signs in Your Home?
These are some of the signs you may notice as your home ages. Pay close attention to your house if you want to avoid high repair and maintenance costs.
Above all, contact a technician, inspector, or structural engineer when the problem is more complicated. For more information on keeping up with your home, check out our blog.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Is it Time to Replace your Roof
Alarm Monitoring System: What is It?
Protecting your Blinds from Window Condensation
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Toodles,
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