Trusted Home Repair Diagnosis Guides

Symptom Guides · foundation

Concrete Slab Cracks That Keep Widening

Intermittent widening floor cracks in a concrete slab are usually caused by soil under the slab expanding and shrinking with moisture changes. It's typically cosmetic if the crack stays under 1/8 inch with no vertical offset.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Doors Sticking Worse on a Slab

On a slab foundation, worsening door sticking is usually caused by the slab moving under the door frame from soil shrink-swell, plumbing leaks, or drainage problems, not by the door itself.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Old Slab Wicking Moisture Up

Concrete slabs in older homes wick moisture because they were poured without a vapor barrier (common before the 1970s), letting ground water rise through the porous concrete. The fix is a penetrating moisture sealer plus better exterior drainage, typically $500–$5000 with a pro.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Sagging Floors Over Crawlspace, Winter

Sagging floors above a crawlspace in winter are usually caused by settling or rotting support posts, frost heave under the piers, or wood beams swelling and shrinking with seasonal moisture. Inspect the posts and girders before calling a foundation contractor.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Summer Standing Water in Crawlspace

Standing water in a crawlspace during summer is usually condensation from humid outside air hitting cool surfaces, a leaking AC condensate line, or a rising water table, not always a plumbing leak.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Where Pests Enter Your Crawlspace

Crawlspace pest entry gaps happen where the foundation meets penetrations, vents, and the access door. Seal them with steel mesh or copper wool backed by mortar or sealant, and confirm no pests are trapped inside first.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Sudden Bouncy Pier & Beam Floors

Sudden bouncy floors on a pier and beam home usually mean a pier settled, shrank, or lost contact with the beam above it, leaving that section of floor unsupported. Less often it's a rotted beam or a joist that slipped its hanger.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Shim Packs That Slip On and Off

Intermittent shim pack failure on a pier-and-beam foundation is almost always caused by soil movement under the pier or shims that compress and shift as wood swells and dries, so the floor sags in wet weather and firms up when it's dry.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Sill Plate Rot on Pier and Beam Homes

Sill plate rot on pier and beam foundations worsens because chronic moisture (from poor drainage, ground contact, or plumbing leaks) keeps the wood wet enough for decay fungus to keep spreading. Fixing it means stopping the water source and replacing compromised sections.

Symptom Guides · foundation

Termite Tubes on Piers (Pier and Beam)

Termite tubes on your piers are shelter tubes built by subterranean termites to travel from the soil to the wood framing above. It signals active or recent infestation and needs a licensed inspection and treatment, typically $500–$5000.

Pillar Guides · foundation

Foundation Problem Signs Explained

Foundation problems appear as cracks, sticking doors, uneven floors, and gaps at trim. Hairline vertical cracks are usually harmless settling; horizontal cracks, widening stair-step cracks, and floors that slope more than an inch over 15 feet signal active movement that needs a structural engineer.

Pillar Guides · foundation

Basement Moisture Guide

Professional repair typically runs $500–$5000. This is not a DIY job, so plan on hiring a pro.