If You Have an Older House These Are the Foundation Facts You Must Know

If you have or you are looking in the market for an older house, it’s perfect time to learn more about the foundations. The older houses have had abundance of time to settle in. And they also have gone through many decades of wear and tear; which means they require foundation repair work to be done. Although this is something that should not discourage you from searching historic or vintage house of your dreams; older house foundation facts are only something that you must keep in mind when you are planning the future.

And how old is “very old”?

Moreover, there are a few ways to classify the “older” homes. The houses that are built more than 50-60 years ago are considered vintage or old. Furthermore, the houses that are built before 1920 are considered to be “antique.” And there are many antique and vintage homes in the greater Toronto area. So the probability that you already live in one at some peak are reasonably high.

Additionally, right before starting any kind of repair in an older home; it is essential to know whether the house is included in your city historic register, county, or maybe the National Register of Historic Homes. And if it is, there are probably also rules overriding if and how you can make any changes or even updates. In general, these rules cover up updates that will affect the appearance of the house; ensuring that both architectural and historic value of the home are preserved. House updates and foundation repairs may or may not be covered with these rules.

Signs of foundation issues in older homes

As well, when you search the older house of your dreams, there are a small number of visual cues that the house has solemn foundation issues, like;

Cracked concrete. “Hairline” or tiny cracks that appear in the concrete inside and outside a house are usually not a very big problem. The things you want to look out for are the cracks that are quarter inch wider. This size of cracks must be filled; and the foundation has to be inspected for water leakage signs, pest invasion and additional damage.
Strained doors and windows frames. As you are walking through the house, test out the windows and the doors. In addition, if they are stuck or they have problems when opening and closing; there might be a problem with the foundation. You can even notice that the doors and the windows frames are imbalanced; once more, this is an indicator of a foundation issue.
Cracked or bumpy floors. The floors and the supports that are not leveled or maybe show noteworthy signs of wear are a definite indicator of issues with the foundation.

Causes of foundation issues in older homes

The foundation issues in older houses can be caused by;

Wear and tear. Older houses have had mainly more time to face the elements; so wear and tear and also foundation sinking are expected.
Out-of-date materials or also building strategy. Houses that is older more than 50 years might even have foundation that is made of stone; or other materials that have not stand the time test. Moreover, the modern foundations are typically made of poured concrete and they lean to be tougher.
Tree roots. Older houses likely have much older trees in their yard; and the root systems have had many decades for growing and expanding. This will eventually cause problems with the home’s foundation.
Ground swelling. The ground around a house experiences expected infusions of freezing, moisture and thawing. This will cause the soil to contract and expand; exerting pressure on the foundation of the house. A home that is more than 50 years old has had a lot of rounds of thawing and freezing; which means decades of pressure on the foundation.

Are you supposed to invest your money in an older house?

If you feel over-enthusiastic about living in an older house; maintenance and foundation repair are only a part of the deal. There are in fact some upsides in buying an older house that might need foundation repair. And this may scare away many other buyers, which will give you an opportunity for price negotiation. Furthermore, upgrading the foundation of the house will increase its resale value. And finally, an older house offers exclusive architecture and also character which makes the occurrence of bringing it back to life much more pleasing.

How Draintony can help?

Here at Draintony Waterproofing, we have many years of experience in servicing older homes with professional foundation repair services. We have really seen it all and we are very avid about ensuring our local customer’s adored homes are secure and safe from the ground up. Finally, if you have an older house or any questions right before purchasing the house of your dreams give Draintony a call today.

In conclusion, we are proudly providing foundation repairs, basement waterproofing and repair; and also many more services in Toronto and GTA.

Older House Foundation Facts