Foundation settling is like a silent storm that sneaks up on Duluth-Superior homeowners when they least expect it and gives them little time to prepare for the damage. To avoid costly repairs and extensive damage to your property, you need to know what signs to look out for as early as you can. To understand why settling damage appears the way it does, the first thing you should know is how settling affects homes. All homes sit on top of an even layer of dense soil. When that layer erodes and becomes uneven, the home begins to sink (either sideways or straight down), and a part of the foundation can break off as the house’s center of gravity shifts. Inside the home, you’ll begin to see cracks along the walls and ceilings since one side of the house now has to support the weight of the side that’s sinking. This can often be too much pressure for the home to bear, so the structure falls apart with time. Cracks can be spotted both in the upstairs living area and in the basement. Because the house is tilting sideways, frames become warped, causing doors and windows to jam upon usage. The floor becomes uneven as the house shifts to one side, and basement or crawl space flooding becomes more frequent as the broken foundation allows groundwater in. Outside, you can spot the signs along the mortar. If the mortar has stair-step cracks along the joists, then the house is settling. If the crack is wider at the top than at the bottom, then the settling is significant and has been going on for a long time. A tilting and cracked chimney is another clear sign, as well as porch and patio handrails. If you aren’t fully sure of the signs you’re seeing and you still can’t determine whether or not your home is settling, then you can always contact Innovative Basement Authority for a free inspection.