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No, house settling is normal as your home’s foundation settles into the soil below and as the framing of your home shifts as it expands and contracts with changes in temperature and moisture. However, if you get to the point where your doors and windows aren’t opening easily, your floors are uneven, or you can visibly see that your roof line is wavy or uneven, you are more likely to have foundation issues.

Water damage in your home’s foundation is gradual, often beginning with small cracks that let water seep in. Over time, this weakens the foundation, which then allows in more water, causing significant structural damage. This process can take months or years to destroy your foundation, and the repairs can be very costly. Have your foundation inspected regularly to prevent significant damage.

Most of the time, normal foundation settling will present as thin cracks in the foundation and minor creaks in the floorboards. In contrast, you can identify foundation issues by wide or uneven foundation cracks, horizontal or step-shaped gaps on the foundation wall, or cracks that go around corners of your foundation. Foundation problems can also cause changes in your living area, like increased humidity, uneven or sloping floors, nail pops in drywall, countertops pulling away from the wall, and windows and doors getting stuck. When in doubt, call in a professional to identify the underlying cause.

You can use a level or straight-edge to test for plumb foundation walls and a level slab, a level or a ball to check for sloping floors inside your home, and a hygrometer to look for moisture in your underhome area. Aside from these DIY tests, it’s important to get a foundation repair specialist or structural engineer to test the foundation to see if it’s supporting your structure properly. They can determine if the loads on the concrete are uneven or need reinforcement.