Signs of foundation problems in Gainesville include sticking doors, new cracks and low spots in the yard. Here is what to look for and when to get a free inspection.
✓The county's warning signsAlachua County lists these sinkhole warning signs. Sagging parts of a building. Leaning fence posts. Doors and windows that stop closing right. Cracks in walls, floors, pavement and the ground. Rain pooling in new places. Sediment in well water.alachuacounty.us
✓Sand that can moveCommon Gainesville soils have about four to six feet of sand on top of a clay-rich layer, according to USDA. Sand can wash away, pack down or drain into gaps in the limestone below. When it does, the house above it shows the signs on this page.soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov
✓Wet summersGainesville gets about 48 inches of rain in a normal year, according to the National Weather Service. The county says soil sinking is common in very wet spells after dry ones. That is when many new cracks show up.forecast.weather.gov
✓Not every sign is a sinkholeThe Florida Geological Survey notes that settling in a yard may or may not be a sinkhole. The county lists rotting debris, roots, leaking pipes, cracked pools and roof runoff as other causes. An inspection sorts out which one you have.floridadep.gov
Your house tells you early
Most foundation problems in Gainesville do not show up all at once. A door starts to drag. A thin crack grows over the summer. A tile pops. Each one is small. Together they tell a story.
Use this page as a checklist. Do you see two or three of these signs? Is one getting worse? A free inspection will tell you if your house is moving, and how much.
Inside the house
Doors that stick, drag or will not latch, most of all several in one part of the house.
Doors that swing open or shut on their own.
Cracks running from the corners of doors and windows, often at an angle.
Gaps between the wall and the ceiling, or trim pulling away.
Floors that slope, so a ball rolls to one side of the room.
Bouncy or soft floors in an older home with a crawl space.
Cracked or popped floor tile, often in a straight line.
Windows that stick or show a gap at one corner.
Cabinets or counters pulling away from the wall.
Outside the house
Stair-step cracks in block walls or along mortar lines.
Long cracks in the stucco, most of all from window and door corners.
A gap between the wall and the window or door frame.
Cracks in the slab edge you can see near the ground.
A porch or step pulling away from the house.
Water standing next to the house after storms.
In the yard
These signs matter more in Gainesville than in most places, because of the limestone below.
A low spot or hole that was not there before.
A round dip in the lawn that gets deeper over time.
Fence posts or poles that start to lean.
Rain pooling in a new place, or no longer pooling where it used to.
Cracks in the driveway or walk that keep growing.
Trees or shrubs that suddenly tilt.
A hole that opens fast is the most urgent sign. Keep everyone back, call your insurer and call 911 if anyone is in danger. See sinkhole repair.
Usually cosmetic
Not every crack is a foundation problem. These are often normal.
Hairline cracks in a slab that do not grow.
Thin, spidery cracks in stucco.
Small nail pops in drywall.
One sticky door in humid weather that works fine the rest of the year.
If one of these starts to grow, or shows up with the other signs, get it checked.
How urgent is it?
Call soon if you see any of these.
A crack wider than about a quarter inch, or one that keeps growing.
Several doors that started sticking at once.
A hole or new low spot in the yard.
A floor that feels soft or gives way.
New cracks along with a jump in your water bill.
Plan an inspection if you see these.
A few small cracks over doors or windows.
One area of cracked tile.
A gutter or downspout dumping water at the wall.
Track what you see
Mark each end of a crack with a pencil line and the date.
Take photos with a coin for scale.
Write down when doors started to stick.
Note what the weather was doing when you saw each change.
These notes help the crew. They also help if you ever file an insurance claim. Florida gives you 2 years to report a sinkhole loss after you knew or should have known about it.
Frequently asked questions
Do foundation signs show up more after rain in Gainesville?
Often, yes. The county says soil sinking is common in very wet spells, most of all after dry ones. Many owners see new cracks during or after the summer rains.
How serious is one door that sticks?
One sticking door can just be loose hinges or a swollen frame in humid weather. Several doors sticking in one part of the house is a common sign of movement. So is a door that sticks along with new cracks.
Can I check my floors myself?
Yes. Set a marble on a hard floor and see if it rolls the same way every time. A long level or a phone level app also helps. A crew takes real readings across the whole house.
Do new homes get foundation problems?
They can. The county says buried debris from building can rot and leave gaps. New lawns and sprinklers also change how wet the ground is in the first years.
What should I do while I wait for an inspection?
Take dated photos of each crack with a coin for scale. Keep gutters draining away from the house. Fix any sprinkler that sprays the wall.
A hole just opened in my yard. What now?
Keep people and pets away and mark the spot. Do not fill it with water. Call your insurer. Call 911 if it threatens the house or anyone's safety.
Is cloudy well water a foundation sign?
It can be a sinkhole sign. The county lists sediment in well water as a warning sign. It says to call the Alachua County Health Department to test water that turns cloudy or colored.
Not sure what you are seeing?
That is what the free inspection is for. Call (352) 724-7728 or send the short form. A local crew will call you back, usually the same day. They will tell you what is going on and what it costs to fix, in writing.