Ways to discover if you need to have your house restumped
House restumping, or reblocking, is the procedure of replacing the stumps underneath your house when they have become destabilised and affected the level of your house. This procedure is usually carried out on older houses that still have a stump foundation, as newer houses usually undergo the procedure of underpinning instead. If your house needs to be restumped, but it's being neglected, it could ultimately lead to the foundation collapsing entirely. This is why it's important to know the signs of when your foundation is starting to falter, so that you can get your house restumped before the damage gets irreversible.
Interior and exterior cracks
There are a few signs you can look for to be warned about an unstable foundation. If you start discovering cracks on the walls inside of your house, for example, this might be a sign that the foundation is moving. If the cracks get longer or deeper over time, then it's very probable that you need to get your house restumped. You should also look for cracks on the outside of your home. If you have a wooden house, this might be unnecessary, as wood is flexible and is unlikely to crack even under pressure. If you have brickwork on your house, however, it will be probable to show cracks if your foundation is shifting.
Floors, doors, and windows
Another way of telling if your house needs to undergo foundation repairs in the form of restumping is to examine the floors. If the floorboards seem to give more than normally, or if you're starting to notice that the floor is uneven or bumpy, this could be a sign that something is wrong. You should also check your windows and doors. If they suddenly become more difficult to open or close, this might mean that the frames are settling along with the foundation.
Examine the stumps
If you have discovered some of these signs in your home, there's one last thing you can do to make sure it's an issue with the foundation and nothing else. Dig down a bit along one of your wooden stumps and examine it by stabbing the wood with a knife. If it gives easily and produces chippings, your stumps are most definitely bad and need to be replaced. If you wish to conduct further testing you could also get in under the house to examine the stumps up close. If you see high water marks, or if you see that the floor beams aren't resting directly on top of the stumps, you should call a contractor to get restumping work done.
For more information and tips, contact a local house restumping company.
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