Drywall Cracks: You Could Have Foundation Damage
If you replaced your plaster walls with drywall in the past few years, you may feel good about your decision. But if your drywall begins to crack, you may regret your decision and think you used defective materials. Although drywall can crack from poor installation, it isn't always the case. Drywall can crack due to foundation problems as well. Learn how foundation problems damage drywall and how you can repair it below.
How Can Foundation Problems Affect Drywall?
Homeowners install drywall in their homes for a number of reasons. Drywall's versatility and easy installation make it the ideal building material for interior walls and ceilings. However, drywall isn't safe from problems, including home foundation issues. Homes settle over time and can create some issues for the people who live in them. Settling can cause a home to shift or move out of its original place on a property. The foundation, or load-bearing structures, beneath a settling home, can sink into the ground. A sinking foundation can cause some of the interior and exterior structures of a home to crack, including the drywall.
You may notice a number of issues with your drywall after your foundation sinks. You may see nails or fasteners sticking out of your drywall, or you may see strange vertical, horizontal, or diagonal lines traveling through the surface of your drywall. Your drywall may even become susceptible to moisture or water damage, which is due to water seeping inside your walls when it rains. The damage in your drywall may be one of many problems associated with a sinking foundation. If you want to save your drywall and keep the rest of your home intact, repair your foundation now.
How Can You Solve Your Foundation Problems?
Call a building contractor and have them check your home's foundation for sinkage. A contractor will also examine your doors, floors, moldings, and windows for damage. Drywall isn't the only structure or material in your home that a sinking foundation can affect. Foundation cracks can develop anywhere in the home over time.
If your foundation is sinking or settling too much into the ground, a contractor will discuss your options for repairing it. A contractor may:
- lift your foundation and home with liquid or solid cement or concrete
- reinforce your foundation with steel beams called piers
- strengthen your foundation with a combination of concrete and piers
After the repairs above, you can replace your drywall or seal it.
Learn more about foundation repair by contacting a contractor in your area.
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