[AD] Top Tips for Protecting Your Home Against Cracks & Leaks

You may have noticed a small crack in one of your walls and shrugged it off as a minor inconvenience.  However, if you have a crack or a leak that is ignored and brushed under the carpet, you could end up with damp, mould and potentially some serious structural damage. 

A lot of the time, cracks and leaks are caused by movement of the foundations of the building, so here are some top tips from a pile foundations company on how to spot them and try to avoid them.

Start by simply paying more attention to your home; if there are problems with the foundations, you will soon notice the early warning signs. The earlier you spot the signs, the less time and money it will take to have repairs made. Here are some of the main clues:

• Your doors won’t stay closed or start to jam 
• Your windows start to stick
• Your walls are cracking near doors and windows, or where walls meet ceilings
• Your patio or driveway also starts cracking
• Your ceilings start to leak after rainfall

There are lots of things you can do to prevent this from happening. For instance, it’s important not to let water pool near the house by installing a decent drainage system, otherwise the soil will expand and increase stress on the walls.

Likewise, you also need to ensure the ground doesn’t get too dry, as this will cause the soil to shrink and your walls will move into the fresh gap. Even tiny shifts in your building’s foundations can wreak havoc inside your home. During warmer weather, be sure to keep the ground watered. You should also refrain from planting trees too close to the building, as they will soak up the moisture.

It’s wise to plant trees far away from the house as during a dry season, tree and shrub roots will compete with soil for moisture.  This can cause your foundation to settle unevenly and form cracks.

Another thing you can do as a homeowner is monitor the local area for any construction work or other changes. If there’s anything going on that might interfere with your own property, it’s worth taking the appropriate measures to reduce these problems.

It’s not just the foundations of your buildings that can result in leaks. You should inspect your roof every once in a while to ensure there are no missing or broken shingles. If there are, replace them as soon as you can. What’s more, if you do happen to spot any cracks or leaks in your home, be sure to fix them so that they don’t lead to mould and rot.

Check out this awesome infographic.

Infographic created by Conway Services, an air conditioning company