Top Techniques To Tell If Your House Has Structural Problems

When you are purchasing a property most people have a survey done. In many cases this is an essential part of the purchase process, it keeps the mortgage company happy. However, the survey is actually for you and it is important that you understand what it is telling you.

A good surveyor won’t just walk around the property looking. They will also get into the crawl space, the loft, and even use specialist gear to get an accurate picture of the state of the property. One of the most effective techniques to assess for minute cracks that could indicate structural issues is dye penetrant testing.

Make sure your surveyor uses every tool at their disposal to give you an accurate picture of the state of your property.

Here are several things you should be looking out for:

Cracks

Cracks are not always a concern! For example, a hairline crack is unlikely to be a sign of a structural issue. It is worth noting it and monitoring it.

Bigger cracks suggest that the foundations are settling. This is normal for all properties. However, if the foundations settle unevenly you are likely to get cracks in your walls. These are often horizontal and tell you one part of the property has dropped and is placing a strain on the rest of it.

Don’t forget, cracks can appear inside and outside your home but the most concerning are the ones that you can see inside and out.

Tight Windows & Doors

Open all the windows, doors, and even cupboards in your house. They should all open smoothly. If one sticks it may have been installed incorrectly. This is especially true if it is wood and can expand or contract.

But, if you find that several doors and windows are tight or tend to open by themselves in the same direction, you may have a structural issue that needs addressing.

Wall Movement

This is a fairly obvious sign you have a serious issue. When part of the wall moves away from the rest of the house and the gap is significant you have a foundation issue and your house is likely to continue splitting apart or even collapse in the near future.

The Chimney

It is always worth looking up at your chimney. A crack or leaning chimney is easy to spot and tells you that there is an issue. While cracks may not be too serious, if the chimney is leaning your property has structural issues.

You’ll need the structural issues fixed for the sake of your house and to stop the chimney from falling onto someone.

Final Thoughts

Being vigilant means that you will notice any change in your property and you can get professional advice regarding the best course of action. Don’t forget, the sooner issues are dealt with the less likely they are to develop into significant, and expensive, problems.

It doesn’t matter if you have a new property or an old one, you need to have it checked regularly.