Commercial buildings rely on their foundations to support millions of pounds of structural elements, from the walls all the way to the roof. The only way to ensure uninterrupted use and maintain the resale value of your buildings is to keep the foundation in good condition through timely repairs.
A regular inspection plan to catch early warning signs of foundation settlement can prevent hundreds of thousands of dollars of further damage to the structure. It doesn’t take a lot of expertise or special equipment to handle these inspections, either. You can use this as a checklist and as inspiration when looking for common signs of foundation settling trouble at least once a quarter, preferably more like once a month.
Wall and Ceiling Cracks
Cracks can appear on both interior and exterior surfaces when the cause lies in your commercial building’s foundation.
Exterior Cracks
Stair-step cracks are common on exterior surfaces, especially masonry blocks and similar jointed finishes. These cracks travel horizontally for a short distance, then vertically, then horizontally again. It creates a stepped appearance that is distinct from other types of cracks. Whether they appear indoors or out, these cracks indicate that the foundation is settling. A few minor stair-step cracks may just indicate that a natural amount of settling has occurred, but cracks that widen or worsen over time definitely indicate continued shifting.
Interior Cracks
Vertical cracks are common indoors and indicate severe settling in a specific part of the foundation. Horizontal cracks in walls can have a few causes, but if they’re connected with bowing, there’s a good chance pressure is increasing behind the wall, which could mean the foundation is losing its support. Diagonal cracks are very serious, especially if they’re more than 1/10th of an inch wide. Get an immediate foundation inspection if you notice these cracks inside or outside the building.
Sagging Ceilings
Your commercial building relies on a level, even foundation to serve as the base for the rest of the structure. As soon as one small section of that base begins to settle, the entire structure can twist out of its original alignment. This is where you end up with sticking doors and windows, but it can eventually lead to more serious problems like sagging ceilings. Don’t let uneven or cracked ceilings go without further inspection, no matter the type of commercial building. Even a fraction of an inch of slip could indicate a risk of collapse.
Uneven or Sloping Floors
In addition to checking the ceilings, you need to examine the floors in your commercial building on a regular basis. It’s easy to overlook minor sinking or rising that leads to cracks and uneven surfaces. The earliest signs of settlement can appear as damage to the surface flooring as well. Since most commercial flooring sits directly on a slab or simply a finish on the concrete, it’s likely to crack or show early wear due to settlement. Don’t assume that the issues with your commercial flooring are due to installation problems or wear and tear alone. Check that the concrete under the surface hasn’t been compromised as well, indicating foundation settlement.
Sticking Doors and Windows
As mentioned above, structural shifting occurs subtly, even before ceilings noticeably sag or floors become uneven. The very first sign of foundation settling is often as simple as a door or window that doesn’t open as well as it used to. It may stick in the frame or become difficult to close without a lot of force. This kind of twisting of the frame doesn’t happen on its own. If every window or door is equally affected from the start, it could be a quality or installation issue. But if only a few windows and doors develop these problems over time, it’s a good idea to inspect the foundation before any further signs of damage occur.
Interior and Exterior Gaps
Along with visible cracks, gaps can open up anywhere two surfaces meet. Most gaps will occur where the ceiling and walls meet inside the commercial building, which is often disguised behind trim pieces that may cover up the problem at first. Look along baseboards and see if the floor is beginning to gap away from the bottom of them. This is definitely a sign of foundation settling. Outside of the building, look for gaps around the fascia boards at the edges of the roof. If they’re developing gaps, they need attention, even if the cause isn’t the foundation settling.
Bowing and Bending
Inside the commercial building, your support columns and beams should start as level or vertically plumb as the day they were built. Watch carefully for signs of deflection like bowing, bending, tilting, or twisting. This indicates the entire structure is shifting, especially if any load-bearing walls or structures are involved. Failing to stabilize the structure before the shifting goes any further could lead to a multi-floor collapse, not to mention roof and wall damage. Take action at the earliest signs of structural deflection linked to foundation settling.
Visible Soil Loss
Take a quick walk around the exterior perimeter of the building after any major storm or water leak, even if you’ve completed a foundation inspection recently. It only takes a small volume of water in the wrong spot to wash away soil that needs to support your foundation. Quick replacement of missing soil, along with stabilization and drainage to prevent the problem from recurring, can prevent foundation cracking and settling, which is far more expensive to replace. But you can’t act to fill in the gap if you don’t know it’s there.
Tackle your foundation problems with a proactive approach to settling, cracking, sinking, and more. Pinnacle Foundation Repair can inspect your commercial building for these warning signs and determine whether you need immediate repairs or not. Our professional services will stabilize your investment and keep your business running smoothly. Contact us today to get started with a free evaluation across Texas.
