Professional, timely basement foundation repair in Ann Arbor is vital if you’re thinking of finishing the space, as you don’t want cracked and damaged concrete behind new drywall or underneath floor tiles. Performing repairs before finishing a basement space also means not having to remove drywall panels and other building materials once you do decide to address those needed fixes!
However, a homeowner might put off basement foundation repair in Ann Arbor if they’re not thinking of finishing the basement, perhaps due to their expected repair cost or because they don’t realize the importance of those needed fixes. If your home’s basement needs foundation leak repair, if the walls or bowing, or you notice any signs of concrete damage, note some vital reasons to schedule an inspection and follow-up repairs as soon as possible.
Basement Foundation Repair in Ann Arbor Protects Stored Items
If you’re like many homeowners, you still use your home’s basement regularly even if the space is unfinished. Many homes locate major appliances in the basement, including the water heater, furnace, and washer and dryer. A basement also tends to become home for lots of items you don’t know where else to store, including car parts, tools, sporting goods, out-of-season clothes, holiday items, family mementos and photographs, and much more.
Foundation damage including chips and cracks along basement walls risks outside moisture settling into the space. This excess moisture and trapped humidity can soon mean rusted appliances and metal tools. A damp basement can also increase the risk of mold and mildew growing and spreading along other stored items, even those kept in rubber or plastic bins and totes.
If your home’s basement is used for storage or if there are any appliances located in the space, invest in needed foundation repairs and waterproofing, to protect those items from damage. Your foundation repair costs will be offset by having those items, including major appliances, in good repair over the years!
Basement Foundation Cracks Risk Mold Throughout the Home
Those cracks that let in moisture and which then risk mold growth along items stored in the basement can also mean mold in other areas of the home! Mold grows easily in dark, damp spaces like basements, but once it develops it then quickly spreads behind walls and along a home’s subflooring, meaning the basement ceiling, and then to virtually every room of the home.
Mold is not only unhealthy and costly to clean, but it can also result in framing damage. Mold holds dampness against anything on which it’s growing including wall studs and floorboards, and this moisture can risk wood rot, splitting, cracking, and the like. To avoid this damage throughout your house, ensure the basement foundation is in good condition and invest in waterproofing as needed.
Basement Wall Cracks Also Risk Unpleasant Infestations!
Most homeowners know that pests including insects and rodents are attracted to a food source, which is why it’s vital that you keep rubbish bins and food containers covered and sealed and ensure you clean kitchen floors and countertops regularly. However, you might be surprised to learn that those pests are also attracted to water sources!
Ignoring needed foundation leak repair can mean excess dampness and even standing water in the home’s basement. Not only are insects and rodents attracted to that water, but they might also use those cracks, chips, and gaps in basement walls as an entry point, to gain access to your home.
Insects and rodents are not only unpleasant and unhealthy, but they also risk damage to your structure. Rodents can chew on electrical wires and burrow into insulation, creating gaps in fiberglass, while termites and carpenter ants can cause thousands of dollars of damage to a home’s framing, drywall, and other wood features. To avoid these risks, ensure the basement foundation is in good repair and waterproofed as needed.
A Damaged Basement Foundation Can Affect Property Values
Your home’s value is based on what buyers might pay for it; since prospective buyers might not pay much for homes with foundation damage, ignoring needed basement foundation repair in Ann Arbor can mean lower property values! Even if you don’t plan on selling your home anytime soon, keeping it in good condition means building more equity over time, which can mean qualifying for home equity loans and lines of credit.
It’s also good to schedule basement foundation repair when needed, in case you do decide to move sometime in the future! An unexpected job transfer, addition to or death in the family, loss of income, or other such unforeseen change in your circumstances can mean having to put your home on the market without time to prepare it for a sale. Investing in needed repairs now can mean one less headache and expense in the future, when you are ready to move.
Basement Foundation Repair in Ann Arbor Keeps a Home Level
Never forget that your home’s basement walls and floors make up the foundation itself, and a strong foundation is vital for protecting an entire structure from damage. A weak or cracked foundation can allow a home to shift and then settle and sink along one side or another; as it does, it pulls on various materials and surfaces inside and outside the house.
This settling and pulling often means interior and exterior wall cracks, cracks along ceilings, floor tiles pulling out of place and even jutting up at one end, buckled wood floors, popped drywall nails, baseboards and crown molding pulling away from the walls, and gaps where drywall panels should meet. Not only is this damage costly to fix but it can also be downright dangerous! Damaged floors present a tripping hazard and, in extreme cases, damaged walls and ceiling tiles can collapse, risking injury to anyone below.
A homeowner might also remember that the longer you put off needed repairs, the more extensive that damage becomes, and the greater the risk of costly secondary damage! Scheduling basement foundation repair in Ann Arbor at the first sign of damage, and investing in waterproofing after those repairs are completed, can keep costs to a minimum and ensure your home is always in good condition.
