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Yes, a house can collapse from severe foundation problems if left unchecked, which is why it’s so important to carry out routine foundation inspections and call for repairs at the first sign of an issue. Foundation cracks often take years to get to the point where your home is at risk of collapsing. Implementing a solution quickly, even if your issue seems minor, is always worthwhile.

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.

A leak under your foundation from a water supply line or sewage line is likely to lead to water pooling on certain areas of your property during rainfall, abnormally fast-growing or green grass in certain sections of your lawn, and differential settlement of your foundation, which can result in large foundation cracks, windows and doors failing to operate properly, a wavy or sloping roofline, or damages or irregularities in your interior walls, including cracks and bulging. If it’s a plumbing line embedded in your slab, you’ll also likely notice above-average water bills.

Although it is possible for a house to collapse from a sinking foundation, it will likely take many years, and signs of major issues will be apparent for a while. Homes on hillsides or in areas that experience frequent washouts are at a higher risk of collapse. Still, barring a natural disaster or extreme circumstances, houses are unlikely to fully collapse from foundation damage.