by PN Schiavone

Created on: March 02, 2009   Last Updated: March 07, 2009

Have you ever wondered if the crack in your foundation wall is a structural problem? The safest way to tell is to have an inspection from a structural engineer. This type of inspection can be costly and more often than not, it is not needed. How can you inspect your home for potential structural issues and save the $500.00 that it would cost to have it done. You need to learn to read your house structurally like a book. It is not as difficult as it may sound. Follow these tips and you can inspect your house for structural issues and call in a professional when it is appropriate.

Major structural problems in your house can cause a myriad of symptoms. These problems range from tipping walls, sagging roof lines, foundational cracking, and uneven or tilting floors. Many structural problems in a house come from differential settlement. This type of settlement occurs when a portion of your home is sinking into the ground faster than other parts of the home. This puts great stress on the foundation, walls, floors, ceilings, and the roof. The entire structure can be compromised by these settlement situations. Settlement can also cause damage to water and gas pipes. Settlement causes a majority of the problems. Other reasons for structural failure are usually a result of poor renovations. If you change the structure of your house without proper support, structural failure will be the result. This is an easy fix. Get professional help before you start hacking into the structure of your home.

All houses settle to some degree in the first few years that they are built. Settlement is the norm for all houses ever built. Settlement shows itself if through cracking in the structure. When looking at your foundation cracks that are uniform and go from the top of wall to bottom of wall are of less concern then the cracks that run horizontal. Horizontal cracking can lead to bowing of foundation walls and if it gets bad enough walls above can begin to tip. Tipping walls can eventually work off of the foundation and create total structural failure. Another deadly crack is he dreaded V shaped crack in a foundation. If the crack is noticeably bigger at the top than at the bottom it is time to call a professional and get an opinion.

On the main floor most cracks in the drywall of are major concern. If you see tearing of the drywall, this is an indication of more major problems. Dry wall is made to show signs of settlement and moisture rather quickly. Many minor cracks will be noted over the years and they should be repaired and painted over as a maintenance item. Door openings and window openings are another area that will show settlement. If door or window openings are no longer square, this is a sure sign of settlement. Many older homes show this as a symptom of settlement.

The last area of major concern is the attic and roof area of the house. If the roof looks to be sagging, inspect the structural members for notching or in some instances they may have been cut out to give more room for storage. When a home is dormered out improperly supported ceiling joists cause most structural problems.

If you look at your house and see horizontal cracks, V-shaped cracks, tearing dry wall, crooked doorways, or sagging roofs, call a structural engineer for an evaluation and recommendation for repair or stabilization. If you inspect your home annually you can save yourself problems and money by calling in professionals when you need to.

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