Signs that Your Foundation Requires Commercial Underpinning

A strong foundation is crucial when you are putting up a building so that the people who work in your building and the buildings around it will be safe. Commercial underpinning helps strengthen and support foundations that are failing. Here are three signs that your foundation is failing and needs underpinning. 

Sloping Floors 

It takes time to notice your floors are starting to slope. Every building begins with even floors. If your commercial building's floor starts to slope, you need to check its foundation. Settling may weaken the foundation on one side leading to the floor slanting. If the floor dips in the middle, it may not be a severe problem. However, a slant in one direction is a structural issue. If you notice slanting, check your walls for cracks. Ensure that you get a contractor to come in and assess the problem immediately. 

Sticking Windows and Doors 

You may notice that you have problems opening doors and windows. That is another sign that your foundation is failing. You should, however, check for other issues. Doors may stick because a hinge is loose, expansion caused by humidity or warping in a wooden door. If the door is new, it may be too large for the door. Windows could also stick because the lock mechanism does not work. The wooden frame may have warped or the hinges damaged. 

If these are not the issues, it is essential to check all the windows and doors in the building. Doors that stick can be a significant problem in an emergency. If most of them have this problem, check the foundation. When your building settles, the foundation moves and cracks. That causes window and door frames to bend and become uneven. That is what causes them to stick.

Bowing and Leaning Walls

When walls have poor support, they may lean to one side. That is a problem with your foundation. Leaning walls are dangerous. They can collapse without warning, causing severe injury to those inside and near the building. Bowing walls are a severe problem too. They are, however, not easy to spot. Bowing walls are easy to spot in the basement. Ensure that you have a professional inspect your building immediately you suspect that the integrity of your walls is compromised. 

Conclusion

Commercial underpinning will help you regain the structural integrity of your building. Ensure you have your building inspected when you notice any of the above signs of a failing foundation.