Foundation Issues and Gutters

A major concern for everyone looking to buy a home is the foundation.  It’s almost as if people are preprogrammed to say “how’s the foundation?”  Most times people really have no idea how to even tell if the foundation is sound, but they always ask the question.  I am a Realtor not a home inspector or foundation expert but I can give you a few tips that will help when you're looking at the foundation of the home.

First is the eye test.  How does it look?  Do you see any cracks?  Keep in mind cracking in poured, walls are pretty common.  If you see cracks, are they large and is there any water or moisture?  If it’s a block basement do you see any major shifts in the blocks?  If you do, you’re going definitely going to want to get a professional opinion.    Next is the smell test.  How does the basement smell?  Does it smell musty?  What about the feel of the basement?  Does it feel wet or damp?  These are all signs that there could be a water or moisture issue in the basement.

Now lets get down to the nitty-gritty.  As I said above if there  are visual signs of damage or, you can definitely tell the basement is wet, you want to have a foundation expert give you an opinion.  But do you know what causes almost all basement issues including cracked foundations etc?  Gutters!  You would be amazed at what gutters or better yet a lack of gutters can do to a home.  Even if you have great gutters, you need to make sure that the downspouts are sending all that water far away from you home.  If I walk up to a house, I can look at the gutters and downspouts and, have a pretty good idea of what the basement is going to be like.

When all the water that lands on your roof and drains down your gutters and then just pools right next to your home it can seriously damage your foundation.  It starts with sunken concrete and the next thing you know you’ve got foundation issues.  You want to make sure all downspouts send the water far away from you home.  I recommend that you get some corrugated pipe and drain that puppy all the way to the back of the yard,  The farther the better!  You also want to build up the soil around your home so that it slopes away from your home.  It’s not as pretty as a completely leveled yard, but I’ll tell ya it could make all the difference.

If you're looking to sell a home…...buy a home…...invest in real estate…...or start a career in real estate contact me today!

Chris Taylor

Keller Williams

586.524.1095

Chris.taylor@kw.com