It goes without saying that the foundation is the most important part of your home. Your house sits on it! Your most precious commodity, your family, lives in your house. That in itself makes foundation problems a really big deal.
Are You Having Foundation Problems in Destin?
If you are a homeowner in Destin, Florida you didn’t come across this article by accident. You were probably looking on Google for help by using search terms like ‘foundation problems in Destin.’ Glad you found us! Noble Public Adjusting Group covers the Destin area and we have connections with vetted foundation repair specialist that we can hook you up with.
Before you found this article, there is something else that happened, and not by accident either. You have most likely discovered a foundation problem by experiencing one or more of the following signs:
Signs of Foundation Problems
- Cracked bricks in your home’s exterior
- Cracked concrete blocks
- Gaps around windows or doors
- Concrete cracks in your porch or garage
- Uneven or bouncy floors
- Leaning or cracked chimney
- Bowed basement walls
- Cracked basement walls
- Cracked molding
- Sinkholes in your yard
What Can Cause Foundation Problems?
The foundation problems you are experiencing can be caused by a variety of things; from the type of soil, your home is built on to poor construction. All foundation problems are caused by one of four things: soil type, the amount of water in the soil, construction preparation, or natural disasters. And in many cases, these causes are related.
The type of soil your home is built on plays a major role in the strength and stability of your foundation. In general, there are many different soil types and each type has a different ability to support the weight. Some soil types are sensitive to the amount of moisture present and can fluctuate in size. Soil is like a sponge. When you take a new sponge and soak it in water, the sponge swells up and expands. As the sponge dries it hardens and shrinks. Consequently, the same thing happens to soil. When your home is built on expansive or consolidating soil, the shrink-swell will create foundation problems.
Before your home’s foundation was poured, the ground where your basement or crawl space is located was excavated. The soil is then tested to determine what type of foundation footing is needed to properly support the weight of your home. If an improper footing is built for the soil type, your home may end up sinking or settling.
After your foundation footing and foundation walls are installed, the space surrounding the outside of your foundation is back-filled. If the wrong type of back-fill is used, or it’s not prepared properly, you could end up with Hydro-static pressure and settlement problems.
Does Your Homeowner Insurance Cover Foundation Repair?
Look at your homeowner policy to see if it specifically covers foundation damage. Typically, the small cracks that come from settling will be excluded, but other types of damage may be covered. Such things as earth movement caused by hurricanes or earthquake are covered. Also, ground cover collapse is usually covered. Since we live in Florida, which is famous for sinkholes, ground cover collapse should be covered. In addition, damage to your foundation that comes from erosion caused by a burst pipe may be covered. Unfortunately, one of the most common causes of foundation damage — the normal compression and expansion of the ground through the seasons — is rarely covered by homeowner’s insurance.
Who to Contact First About Foundation Problems in Destin
After reading all of the above educational material about what causes foundation problems, who do you call first? It is a good bet that you are going to experience flack from your insurance company. They will try to find a reason to deny your claim. That is what they do. Insurance companies are in the business of profit, so their first line of defense is denial. That is why Noble Public Adjusting Group strongly suggest you call us first.
We will send one of our licensed, Destin public adjusters out to view your foundation problem at no cost. We will file the insurance claim for you. Also, we will arrange for your foundation repair with one of the vetted and trusted foundation repair specialist we use in the Destin area.
If your claim is denied, will go to battle with the insurance company to reverse that decision. And we win. On average we get homeowners 747% more of a settlement than if they had handled the insurance claim themselves. You have enough on your plate. Why burden yourself with anything else? Let us handle your foundation problem in Destin for you by calling us today at (850) 249-MY-PA