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The Portland Homeowners’
5-Step
In-Home
Structural Health Checklist
We all know the PNW drill: pouring rain, sunny day, back to rain, repeat. While we’re staying dry, our foundations are battling the elements 24/7.
This “Structural Health Checklist” will help you do a simple annual home checkup, to catch small problems before they become big ones.
#1: The Exterior Perimeter Ground & Grading
How does your property handle excess water? This is your first line of defense.
Foundation issues are often “soil issues” in disguise. How does your soil handle water drainage?
Look for:
- Grading: Does the soil slope away from the home? Soil should drop at least 6 inches over the first 10 feet.
- Drainage: Are downspouts discharging at least 5–10 feet away from the foundation?
- Gutters: Are they overflowing or leaking during rain?
- Soil Gaps: Look for “shrinking” soil that has pulled away from the concrete.
- Don’t worry about: Small, localized puddles in the yard that disappear within 24 hours of a rainstorm are generally considered normal drainage behavior.
#2: The Foundation walls and Exterior Concrete
Walk the perimeter of your home looking at exposed concrete or brick.
Moisture problems will most often start showing symptoms where your home’s foundation rests on wet soil.
Be aware of:
- Stair-step Cracks: Look for cracks in brick mortar or concrete blocks that follow a “stair” pattern.
- Horizontal Cracks: A long horizontal crack can indicate “bowing” caused by external soil pressure.
- Efflorescence: Look for a white, powdery salt residue on the concrete, which indicates moisture penetration.
- Spalling: Check if the surface of the concrete is flaking or peeling off.
- Don’t worry about: hairline vertical cracks (less than 1/8″ wide) are common in poured concrete foundations; these are usually “shrinkage cracks” from when the concrete originally cured, and slight shifting is normal.
The air in your living areas comes from your crawl space or basement, making moisture control critical for both structural health and indoor air quality.
#3: Interior Walls, Floors, Doors, & Windows
Check for cracks, sloping, or other signs your foundation is shifting.
Movement in the foundation creates “stress points” in the rigid frame of your house. This is often where homeowners first notice trouble.
Look for:
- Doors and Windows: Do they stick, fail to latch, or have large gaps at the top?
- Drywall Cracks: Look for diagonal cracks extending from the corners of door frames or windows.
- Sloping Floors: Use a marble or a level on hard floors to see if there is a consistent pitch.
- Nail Pops: Look for small, circular bumps or holes where nails are pushing out of the drywall.
- Don’t worry about: Seasonal sticking of wood doors such as sticking in the humid summer but swinging freely in the dry winter is usually caused by humidity-related wood expansion, not foundation issues.
#4: Below-Grade Basement or Crawl Space
The space under your home is most honest indicator of structural health.
Moisture problems will most often start showing symptoms where your home’s foundation rests on wet soil.
Take note of:
- Odors: Do you notice a “wet forest” or musty smell?
- Visible Seepage: Look for damp spots on the floor or walls after a heavy rain.
- Sagging Floors: If you have a crawl space, check if the floor joists are sagging or if the “shimming” looks loose.
- Mold/Mildew: Check the bottom of wooden joists or insulation for dark spotting.
- Don’t worry about: A small amount of condensation on cold water pipes or a slightly damp feel during high-humidity months is common and can often be solved with a dehumidifier.
#5: Environmental & Historical Factors
Don’t just look around the home, look around the home.
Consider the “hidden” variables of your property’s location that may indicate the soil under your home is shifting.
Look for:
- Soil Type: Is your home built on “expansive clay” (which swells when wet and shrinks when dry)?
- Tree Proximity: Large trees close to the home can “drink” the moisture out from under your foundation.
- Recent Excavation: Has there been any major digging or pool installation nearby?
- Age of Home: Older homes may have “parged” foundations that require different maintenance.
- Don’t worry about: Minor “settlement” cracks in a brand-new home (built within the last 1–3 years) are expected as the heavy structure compresses the soil for the first time.
Stay Safe, Dry, and Stable with annual check ups
Don’t skip regular self-check ups, and catch problems early.
And if you see concern areas worsening, take action. Problems caught sooner and smaller are easier and cheaper to repair.
Take note of:
- Document: Take clear photos of any cracks or damp spots you find.
- Scale: Include a size reference in your photos, such as a tape measure or a coin, so you can accurately track changes.
- Track: Re-inspect these same areas every 6 to 12 months; if a crack is growing or a door is sticking more frequently, the issue is active.
- Don’t worry about: Most homes undergo a “bedding-in” process where minor, non-moving cracks appear and never change again. If your photos look the same year after year, your foundation is likely stable.
Hey Portland,
It’s self-care… but for your home.
Stay safe, dry, and level with TerraFirma.
Not Sure What You’re Seeing?
Foundation Settlement
When the soil beneath a building’s foundation compresses or shifts unequally, it causes parts of the foundation to sink or settle more than others. This uneven settling commonly results in noticeable sloping or uneven floors.
Cracks in Foundation and Basement Walls
Common symptoms of this problem include horizontal or stair step cracking along the foundation wall, diagonal cracks in the corners, crumbling walls and inward bulges.
Look for spalling cracks or delamination, which can impact structural integrity.
Jammed Windows and Sticking Doors
If your windows and/or doors are sticking, jamming, or your doors have non-functioning locks, you could have a foundation problem. Other common signs include door openings that aren’t square and diagonal cracks at top corners of window and door openings.
Tilting Chimneys
A leaning or tilting chimney, generally accompanied by cracks where the chimney foundation meets the home foundation. Damage to the roof where flashing meets the chimney, or gaps between the chimney and home walls that have been filled in with mortar, foam, or caulk.
Cracked and Uneven Sidewalks & Driveways
Driveways in our region can often become cracked and sunken. Issues with the soil underneath those concrete driveway slabs are usually accompanied by concrete sidewalk cracks and raised sidewalks.
Stained Basement Walls + Efflorescence
Water stains on concrete walls are caused by mineral deposits from the water drying on the concrete. Efflorescence stains appear as a white or grayish ash on the wall.
Keep an eye on basement walls getting yellow, orange or black stains as these are all symptoms related to moisture getting in.
These are also signs that soil or hydrostatic pressure outside the foundation walls could lead to foundation failure.
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Foundation Repair Homeowner Questions
Are cracks in a basement floor normal?
Cracks in concrete are common. However, cracks are symptoms of potentially larger issues. The size, placement, and direction of cracks in your basement floor or walls can give insghts into the nature of the issue. Schedule your free in-home inspection with TerraFirma to learn more.
When should I worry about cracks in my basement floor?
You should be concerned about foundation cracks if the cracks in your basement floor are wider than 1/8 inch, spread to and up the foundation walls, appear in a circular pattern, are wet or show signs of water intrusion, have mold around them, have a white flaky substance around them
Are foundation repairs covered by homeowner’s insurance?
Insuance policies vary from home to home and company to company. The best action is always to speak with your insurance company to understand what is covered under your specific policy. Generally, home owners insurance will cover repairs if the damage can be tied back to an event e.g. leaky water heater, tree fell on house etc.
Does foundation repair affect/increase home value?
Yes. A damaged foundation can cause significant loss in property value, as well as potentially scaring off interested buyers. Repairing a damaged foundation helps restore the lost value in a home, and can even increase value when the repairs carry a transferable and long term warranty.
How long does foundation repair take?
Scope, size, and type of repair can vary, as will the amount of time a repair can take. However, most repairs can be made within a few days.
