When someone wants to buy a house, they want to know that a house is sound and that it doesn’t have any dangerous problems that can cause issues. We know how hard it is to sell a house with structural problems, which is why we buy homes with structural problems.
However, we have found that many people don’t know the common signs that they have structural problems in their homes. That’s why we have created this list of common signs that you have structural problems in case you want to sell your home and you want to know ahead of time that you have these problems.
We Buy Homes with Structural Damage Due to Termites
Even though termites are small, they can cause a lot of damage to your ceiling joists, wall studs, support beams, and a lot more. This can cause a lot of damage to your house as time goes by. Sometimes people will think that structural damage from termites, like cracks in walls and sagging ceilings, is from normal movement. When there’s a termite infestation, it can make the house unlivable if it’s not taken care of quickly. Below are some signs you may have termites.
- Drooping or discolored drywall
- Paint peeling that looks like water damage
- Wood sounds hollow if you tap on it
- Tiny, pinpoint drywall holes
- Buckling laminate or wooden floorboards
- Loosening tiles because of the moisture from termites
- Floorboards that are extra squeaky
- Damaged, crumbling wood
- Doors or windows that are stuck
- Maze-like patterns on walls, furniture or floorboards
- Mounds of termite pellets, looking like small pepper or salt piles
- Wing piles that resemble fish scales
- Mud tubes that climb your home’s foundation
- Flying swarms of termites on the property
We Buy Homes with Leaking & Sagging Roofs
Generally, the cladding of the roof is made to last as long as 30 years. Then it needs to be replaced. If you have a leaking roof but it’s still fairly new this problem could be because of movement of its timber frames, damage from weather, or insufficient maintenance.
It’s important that you repair a leak in your roof quickly since the water can cause a lot of damage to the internal structures, which can be very costly. Uneven or saggy roof lines indicate that there are some problems with the structure of the roof. This may be due to load-bearing walls being removed, overloading of supporting members, termite damage, or framing timbers being incorrectly sized.
We Buy Homes with Ceiling & Wall Cracks
Not all of the cracks in your ceilings or walls mean that you have damage to your structure. However, you want to make sure that you are keeping your eye on them, this way you know if and when they become really problematic. If you have cracks above your doorway that look like steps or you have cracks along with uneven floors or a sagging ceiling, it means that you have a big problem and that it should be quickly addressed.
We Buy Homes with Uneven Floors
This particular problem has a few degrees of severity, and it may not always mean that you have to fix them immediately. The causes that are more serious include your foundation settling and improper construction. If either of these are the problem, you are going to need to call a professional structural contractor so that your house can be assessed. Other reasons that your floors could be uneven include cracks in the floor joists, damage from termites, and subfloor supports that are inadequate.
We Buy Homes with Damp Sub-Floors
Subfloor without sufficient ventilation will prevent evaporation and will cause the accumulation of humidity and mold growth. this also can lead to your floor wood rotting. You can identify this by stains on the surface and other deterioration signs. This can be solved by clearing any obstructions which prevent evaporation, increasing your vents, or improving your drainage.
We Buy Homes with Wood Rot
Wood is very durable and strong, and it can last a long time. However, you have to shield it from the elements to stop it from decaying prematurely. You want to make sure that it’s not exposed so that harmful fungi species are able to thrive. You want to make sure that that the wood’s not exposed to lots of moisture or nutrients that will cause rot.
We Buy Homes with Crumbling Concrete
The main reason that brickwork and concrete crumble is that it’s been exposed to high chemical or moisture levels. Concrete absorbs chlorides and salts, and this causes a reaction in concrete. This will cause the growth and expansion of crystals, which forces the material’s bond apart. When salt is absorbed, it also will cause steel corrosion and break the material’s bond.
We Buy Homes with Sagging or Warped Ceilings
When your ceiling is warped or sagging, it often means that you have a problem with your structure. You often will see at least one crack running across your ceiling. You should have someone look into why the ceiling is cracked, and you also should have it done quickly. Otherwise, the problem can become worse.
We Buy Homes with Visible Gaps In Between Walls
Having gaps that you can see in between your external and internal walls often is caused by your floor joists sagging. This often will happen when there are support pillars that were put too far from one another or due to damage from termites. These gaps also can be due to your foundation settling, caused by a shift or change in the ground.
We Buy Homes with Doors & Windows That Don’t Fit Well
A very obvious sign that you have a huge problem with your structure is when your doors can’t properly close, or your windows become stuck inside frames. This often happens when the ground under your foundation shifts.
These are the 10 most common signs that you have structural problems in your house. If you have one or more of these signs of a problem with your home’s structure, give us a call or send us a message through chat. We are glad to give you a fair price quote because we buy homes in any condition.
