2 Subtle Signs Your Business Building's Foundation Has Issues Needing Professional Attention

Construction & Contractors Blog

If you own a commercial property, you may periodically walk around the outside of the building to make sure that the foundation is not cracking or crumbling. If you do not find any visible signs of damage, you may believe that the structure is sound and does not need anything done to it. 

However, they may be hidden damage that you cannot easily detect which indicates a problem with the foundation. Below are a couple of subtle signs that there may be issues that need professional attention before they become major problems.

1.  Molding and Baseboards Start Detaching or Falling Off

One subtle sign that may indicate a problem with your commercial building's foundation is when you start having problems with the baseboards and molding along the top of the walls. They may start to detach from the walls, or they may fall off completely.

If this issue is only in one area of the building, the issue is likely worn-out adhesive. However, if the molding and baseboards start coming off in several rooms, the walls may have shifted because the foundation is no longer sturdy enough to hold them up. Especially if you reattach them and they continue to fall off, you should have a contractor take a look at the foundation.

2.  Floors Are Tilted or Have Started to Sag in the Middle

Another sign that the foundation may need professional attention is when the floors start tilting or have started to sag in the middle. As with the walls, if the foundation has weakened or is starting to crumble, it will no longer be able to fully support the floors. 

At first glance, it may be difficult to tell whether the floor is no longer level. You can test for this issue by placing a can or ball in several areas in the building to see if they roll. If so, you may need to have a professional inspect the foundation.

Along with problems with the molding and baseboards as well as tilted or sagging floors, you may also find that the doors constantly stick and even find cracks around the frames when there are problems with the building's foundation. If you suspect that this is the case, the structure may need to be repaired or restored, depending on the extent of the damage. Have a commercial foundation repair specialist fully inspect the building so that they can speak with you about what needs to be done to fix the structural issues.

For more information, contact a commercial foundation repair service such as Consel Inc.

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19 April 2022

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