Sticking Doors, Cracks, Sloping Floors: What Each Sign Means
Most people find foundation trouble by accident: a door that won't latch, a crack over a closet. Here is what each common foundation warning sign usually points to in an Austin house, with the page that covers the fix.
Foundation warning signs in Austin usually trace back to clay soil shrinking or swelling under part of the house. One sign on its own, especially in late summer when the normal August high is 97.8°F (NOAA), is often seasonal. Several signs on one side, or a crack that widens year after year, usually mean that section has moved.
What does it mean when doors stick or won't latch?
A door that rubs at a top corner or no longer latches usually means its frame has racked out of square because the floor beneath it moved. If several doors on one side act up, that side has likely dropped. On a slab, start with slab repair and leveling; on a raised floor, see pier and beam repair.
Why are there cracks above my doors and windows?
Diagonal drywall cracks running up from the corners of doors and windows are where walls show movement first, because openings are the weak points. Hairline cracks that come and go with the seasons are common on clay. Cracks you can fit a coin edge into, or new ones every year, point to settlement; read about foundation crack repair.
What do stair-step cracks in brick or stone mean?
Stair-step cracks follow the mortar joints of brick or stone veneer when the beam under that wall has moved. A crack wider at the top than at the bottom often means a corner is dropping, and a gap opening between masonry and a window frame points the same way. These usually call for slab foundation repair before any repointing.
Why do my floors slope or feel bouncy?
A floor that slopes toward one wall or bounces underfoot is the classic pier and beam sign: piers have settled, shims have crushed, or joists and sills have weakened. A sloping slab floor is less common and usually means one edge has dropped. Start with pier and beam foundation repair, which covers all three causes.
Why are gaps opening at baseboards and trim?
Baseboards pulling up off the floor, crown molding separating at corners, or cabinets easing away from the wall mean the floor or wall has shifted from where the trim was nailed. A gap under a baseboard often marks a spot where the floor has dropped, from either a settled section of slab or a sagging beam over a crawl space.
Is a crack in my tile or concrete floor serious?
Tile that cracks in a line across several pieces is usually following a crack in the slab beneath. If both sides are level, it is often a harmless shrinkage crack. If one side sits higher, the slab has moved, and an elevation check is worth having before you replace the tile. See slab repair for what that involves.
Should I worry about a gap between the soil and my slab?
A gap where soil has pulled back from the slab edge in summer is the clay shrinking, which Houston Black soil does markedly as it dries (USDA). On its own it is a warning, not damage. Keep gutters working and soil moisture even. If doors and wall cracks are changing at the same time, have the house assessed.
When foundation warning signs add up
List each sign, where it is and when you saw it. A cluster on one side says more to a specialist than one crack ever could. Prices are in the Austin foundation repair cost guide.
Tell us what has moved
A sloping floor, a door that stopped latching, a crack that keeps growing: describe it and say which room. One independent foundation specialist serving Austin will phone to hear more and find a time to come by.