Understanding how structural damage can affect your home is crucial before purchasing. While a home may appear beautiful, a problematic structure can lead to significant costs and hassles in the future. Arming yourself with the right information about structural damage and what it means to your home purchase will help you make a wise decision.

What Is Structural Damage?

Structural damage is any damage to the house’s core components that create the strength and structural integrity to keep it standing and stable. The primary parts that contribute to the structure include:

  • Load-bearing walls
  • Roof trusses
  • Ceiling beams

These components are responsible for carrying most of the home’s weight. So, damage to any of them can make the home susceptible to instability, and even collapse.  

Structural damage can be a result of water or fire damage. Damage can also result from termites and significant movements in the earth. Damage from termites is especially challenging to detect by an untrained eye. An inspection from qualified experts is the only way to be sure that a home you want to purchase is not suffering from structural damage.

Understanding the Risks of Structural Damage

Structural damage can potentially impact numerous parts of a house. Fortunately, there are many signs and symptoms that may be visible now or will likely develop over time. These include cracks in the mortar of exterior walls, bulging walls, improper drainage, soil pulling away from the walls of your home, and foundation shifting. Furthermore, floors and ceilings may sag or bow, cracks may appear in the floor tiles, and doors and windows may not properly close. The problems only increase with time, so even if you don’t notice them now, structural damage will cause more problems to emerge in the months and years to come. 

The cost to repair structural damage is significant. And, the costs typically increase the longer a homeowner waits to fix them. So, small issues can quickly snowball into more significant concerns.

Get a Reliable Home Inspection to Detect Structural Damage

At Classic City Home Inspections, we understand how important it is to identify structural damage. This way you will have a complete picture of any home purchase you are considering. So, you can count on our experienced, InterNACHI Certified inspectors to provide a thorough and accurate inspection to catch even the smallest structural integrity issues. 

We have been providing reliable home inspections in Athens GA and the surrounding communities for years. With our expert services, you can proceed with your home purchase with confidence and peace of mind.

Reach out to our trusted team today to get a cost- and commitment-free consultation. Or to learn more about how structural damage can affect your home call us at 706.614.7308.