Keeping
a constant moisture level around
your foundation is important to
prevent settlement problems. If
you've already developed cracking
or settlement problems, this obviously
will not correct the problem. Optimal
soil levels are determined by the
percentages of moisture, air/gas,
and soil. When the ground dries
and evaporates this moisture, it
compacts, presses the gas from the
soil content, and shrinks. Adding
the proper amount of water will
restore this component, however,
the gas has not been restored.
The amount of water cannot be determined
by the naked eye. One of the concerns
of doing this is getting too much
water content. This basically makes
a mud puddle, which obviously will
not hold weight.
Foundation
cracks and settlement problems are
viewed as serious defect to a home.
Most homeowners realize this and
simply will not purchase a home
unless proper repairs are made.
In addition, many lending venues
(FHA,VA,Conventional) simply will
not lend on a home with these defects.
"It's
just a little crack. No big deal".
If only this were the case. Many realtors
struggle with this issue when trying to
move a house off the market. The buyer
will not buy unless it's fixed (if they'll
buy at all), the seller doesn't want to
invest the money to correct the problem,
and the realtor is stuck in the middle.
Sometimes,
a homeowner will try to patch and
cover up the problem to avoid losing
value in the home. Depending on
the extent of the damage, this sometimes
does work. When the problem does
become worse, the situation turns
into a nightmare. Now, the home
inspector, the realtor, the buyer,
the seller, the lawyers, all have
to come to an agreement. This nightmare
normally turns into a lot of finger
pointing, but does nothing to help
the buyer or seller.
If
you are looking to sell your home,
I would HIGHLY recommend a foundation
repair specialist examine any cracks
or settlement problems you have
noticed. This way, you'll have a
written estimate to either A) correct
the problem and restore the asking
value of your home,
or B) provide to the buyer so they
can have the amount deducted from
the asking price.
