Damage to the foundation of your home, especially when there is a basement involved, can require major repairs. Even what appear to be insignificant problems can become extensive foundation restoration projects. Frequent visual inspections of your foundation are very helpful in spotting potential problems. Here are some telltale signs to look for that will help you spot foundation issues early.

Schedule Inspections

If you have a situation where your home foundation extends below ground floor level and includes a basement, you need to schedule foundation inspections. A licensed contractor, namely the type who specializes in foundation repair, can spot existing problems and advise you on how often you should be professionally inspected.

Many times the frequency of these inspections will be determined by a number of factors particular to your geographical region. The type of soil in the area, rainfall averages, along with proximity to water are a few of the items your inspector will consider.

Signs of Foundation Problems

You can be a huge help to your inspector by making periodic visual inspections yourself. Here are some things to look for that can be signs you have a structural issue with your foundation or that one is looming on the horizon.

Keep an eye on the parts of your foundation that you can see. Every few months do a quick walk around your home and look for any signs of cracking, particularly any odd shifts in the individual block layers of your foundation. If you will stick to a consistent schedule for your visual inspections, you will notice any changes and possibly spot problems early.

Some of the things to look for are:

1. Cracks in the block or brick.

2. Any sagging or changes in the slope of floors and walls.

3. Unusual spaces or gaps at any corner of your foundation.

4. Flaking concrete block or crumbling mortar joints.

5. Any noticeable moisture, including odd discoloration of concrete walls.

With a regular visual inspection, most of these problems – potential signs of a foundation issue – will be obvious to you. Make sure you examine as much of your foundation as you can -- both the inside and outside of the walls you can see. Report any of these issues immediately to a home foundation expert for further scrutiny.

While waterproofing your basement walls and foundation is an excellent idea and can help prevent minor moisture problems, it will not correct structural issues that a result of foundation problems.

The best protection against costly foundation repairs is consistent inspections. Do your own visual walk around, but also bring in an industry expert to give your home foundation a professional inspection at least once every couple years and as soon as you notice any odd changes yourself.