How To Tell If Your Home Has Subsidence

As renters and homeowners, we sometimes forget just how vulnerable our homes can be. Houses sit on a piece of land that constantly goes through changes because of weather and man-made processes. Sometimes, it causes serious problems, like subsidence. Understandably, you may wonder how to tell if your home has subsidence.

You can tell your home has subsidence if your doors and windows stick and you notice the floors shifting. Baseboard gaps and cracks in your walls that measure at least 3-5 millimeters also indicate subsidence. Contact a structural engineer or contractor right away if you notice these signs, as they can cause significant foundation damage. 

It’s hard to avoid subsidence if your home sits on land near mines. Subsidence can cause structural damage that costs a fortune to fix, so you must catch it early. Follow along as we highlight how to tell if your home has subsidence. 

What Causes House Subsidence?

Subsidence can occur due to many reasons, from the type of soil your house sits on to drainage issues. For example, heavy pipe leaks can soften the ground and pressure the foundation. Soil consistency affects subsidence as well because silt and clay are cohesive soils.

This means that the soils change consistency and size based on moisture and weather. A home on cohesive soil is at risk of subsidence, especially if there are nearby drainage issues. Tree roots can even cause subsidence as they can suck the moisture away from the soil around your home. 

This can shrink the soil and leave it dry, which can lead to subsidence. Eventually, the foundation may shift, as it no longer sits on stable, reliable soil. Even the weight of your home can cause subsidence over time depending on the foundation’s condition. 

5 Signs Of Subsidence In A House

1. Cracks

While cracks in your walls don’t always point to subsidence, they often do. Cracks in your driveway, walls, and walkways can indicate that your home has subsidence. This is the first sign of subsidence that many homeowners notice, and it can be unnerving. 

However, cracks don’t always mean that your house has subsidence. For example, water damage and faulty construction can cause hairline cracks in your wall. Subsidence cracks are much wider than others and often appear seemingly out of the blue. 

They are also typically diagonal, over 3-5 millimeters wide, and may worsen over time. You can tell they are subsidence cracks if you find them near doors, windows, and corners in many cases. 

2. Shifting Floors

Subsidence can make your floors shift, and that’s one of the scariest signs. You may not notice your floors shifting until you take a few steps back and look at the room. Some people don’t discover their floors have shifted until they sit on their furniture or drop something and see it roll. 

It’s important to take pictures of your sunken floor upon noticing it. The process is gradual, but it can become dangerous if you ignore it. 

3. Doors And Windows Won’t Open And Close

Have you struggled to close your doors and windows recently? Sure, this sometimes happens if the wood swells due to humidity. However, it’s also a classic sign that your home has subsidence, especially if you notice other signs, like cracks. 

That’s because subsidence can throw the alignment of your home off and affect the windows and doors. This makes them hard to open and close, and the problem may worsen with time. In some cases, this subsidence symptom appears even before cracks appear.  

Subsidence can contort the walls and ground, distorting your doors and windows. It doesn’t happen overnight, so you may slowly notice your windows and doors getting stuck more often.  

4. Baseboard Gaps

Have you ever noticed that your baseboards look like they’ve lifted off the ground or wall? You shouldn’t ignore telltale signs of subsidence like baseboard gaps. It can be tricky to identify, as baseboard gaps don’t always appear evenly.

You may find gaps in one part of the room but won’t see them elsewhere. Baseboard gaps can indicate which part of the house has subsidence. Don’t hesitate to call a contractor if you discover gaps in your baseboards.  

5. Foundation Damage

Foundation damage is the most devastating aspect of subsidence. Failure to address foundation damage can lead to serious structural problems. Your walls and floors can even collapse in extreme cases, and that’s not worth the risk. 

Sadly, foundation damage is par for the course with subsidence, even if it doesn’t always happen. The soil surrounding your home puts a lot of pressure on the foundation as it shifts. This can cause cracks and problems with moisture.

Part of the danger comes from the fact that the foundation damage is typically uneven. Because of that, the structural damage it can cause is quite unpredictable. 

How To Prevent Subsidence

Subsidence isn’t always preventable, but you can take a few steps to make it less likely to affect your home. For example, it’s a great idea to remove trees that are too close to your home on your property. That’s especially true if the trees are less than 15-20 feet away from your house.

The roots can eventually grow out of control and eventually damage your foundation. Roots can also damage plumbing lines and cause leaks that can contribute to subsidence. You must also keep your gutters clean and extend your downspout to keep the soil near your foundation dry. 

Otherwise, the runoff water from your gutters will slowly soften the soil and cause subsidence. The moisture can eventually create voids that drastically change the structure of the soil around your home. Unfortunately, there’s no way to guarantee that your home is safe from subsidence if you live in an active mining area. 

Who Do I Contact About Subsidence?

You must call a contractor or structural engineer if you notice signs of subsidence at your house. Ideally, you should contact a structural engineer right away if you notice cracks and shifting floors. It’s much easier to address subsidence if you catch it as early as possible. 

It’s worth calling your homeowner insurance provider if your home has subsidence. In some cases, homeowner insurance providers can help cover the costs of repairs. It varies depending on the provider and the cause of the subsidence.

You can even invest in mine subsidence insurance if you live near a mine. Houses near mines are prone to subsidence due to the removal of natural resources, which creates voids in the earth. Mine subsidence insurance can save you tens of thousands of dollars, if not more. 

Summing It Up

Cracks in your floors and walls are common signs of subsidence. You can also tell that your house is experiencing subsidence if you find gaps in your baseboards and your windows and doors get stuck. The floors may also shift and you’ll typically notice foundation damage if the soil around your home subsides. 

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• How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?
• How To Add A Bathroom On A Concrete Slab Foundation