Stuck Doors and Windows? Your House Might Be Trying to Tell You Something About Its Foundation
You’ve probably done it: pulled on a door or a window a few times thinking, “This just needs a little WD-40.” But what if we told you these little annoyances could potentially be your home giving you signs or foundation problems?
Yes, sticking doors and windows are often more than just littles annoyances, they can be early signs of serious foundation settlement.
Firstly, what is causing the foundation to shift and settle?
Several factors can affect the integrity of your foundation.
Soil settlement or expansion: Soils expand when wet and shrink when dry, causing the ground beneath a foundation to shift and potentially crack or settle unevenly.
Hydrostatic pressure from poor drainage: Water accumulating around the foundation due to poor drainage puts pressure against the walls, thus causing it to crack or bow.
Inadequate support: If the foundation wasn’t supported properly due to deterioration of the building materials, it may fail over time under the weight of the structure.
Regardless of the cause, the result is the same: the foundation sinks or shifts, leading to structural imbalances.
How are Sticking Doors and Foundation Problems connected?
When the foundation settles unevenly, it causes subtle shifts throughout your home. This movement puts stress on the walls, ceilings, floors, and yes, your doors and windows.
Suddenly, things don’t line up the way they used to: The door frame becomes compressed, so the door rubs or won’t latch properly.
The window frame warps slightly, causing it to jam or not close properly. You might even notice cracks in the drywall around doors and windows.
Keep an eye out for these red flags that might indicate that sticking doors/windows are more than a simple nuisance:
- One or more doors throughout the house are suddenly misaligned or won’t latch.
- Windows are problematic to open or close even in mild weather.
- Diagonal cracks appear extending from the corners of door or window frames.
- Floors feel uneven, especially stuck doors or windows.
- Presence of other signs of foundation settlement such as foundation cracks, bowing walls or detached chimney.
If you’re noticing one or more of these signs, it might be time to stop blaming the weather and start thinking about your home’s foundation stability. Modern foundation repair solutions can correct these issues without tearing your house apart.
When it comes to foundation problems, one thing is certain: They never get better with time, they get worse. The longer you wait, the more extensive (and expensive) the repairs can become.
We Can Help!
At Systèmes Sous-Sol Québec, we specialize in fixing foundation settlement, cracked foundations, bowing walls and way more. In addition, our solutions are backed by long-term warranties and decades of experience!
