Though built with concrete, steel, and wood, your home isn’t immune to damages.
As it ages, it will gather dust and lose the brilliance of its original paint. Its wooden parts wear out and might even attract insects. While your aluminum and steel roofing and pipes might get rusty and need replacement.
But there’s another thing that’s ruining your home in silence. It works underneath but the wreckage it brings could be big that you won’t be ready for it.
Cause and effects of soil movement
We know that the earth constantly moves but its tiniest bit – soil is also often in motion. And these tiny movements can damage your home from below.
The ruin it does goes up to your floor, walls, tiles, and pipes which could make the whole house collapse.
Its main cause is severe weather changes like drought, continuous rain, and storm, which undoubtedly we can’t control. However, you can be prepared and have your home checked and repaired to prevent an even bigger disaster.
Preventing further damage of shifting soil
The first signs that your home is being damaged by soil movement are cracked floors and walls, and misaligned windows and doors.
In severe cases, you’ll hear creaking sounds or see your floors and walls having holes or becoming uneven without you knowing how it happened. This is an indication that the foundation of your home is crumbling.
If you notice this contact a foundation repair company immediately. They can apply the necessary patches in and around your house.
You could also ask a home inspector to survey your house before and after the repair to make sure you got everything fixed.
Before buying a house
If the condition is extreme though, moving homes might be a better decision. Should you choose to do this, get the help of your local home inspector again to double check if the new home you’re considering is sturdy and can withstand soil movement. Cracks on sidewalks and roads are again signs that a neighborhood is prone to foundation problems.
And get in touch with your local insurance agent to have the right coverage in your home insurance. Your insurance may not prevent soil from moving and damaging your house but it can help you have funds for small and big repair when the right coverage is in place.
For this particular need in the Hudson Valley New York City area, feel free to contact Joe DiCesare via phone or email.
Photo credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region
Safe driving now saves you even more on your car insurance. Thanks to Snapshot, people are reminded to pay better attention to their own actions as well as the actions of other drivers on the road. 
For decades, we’ve heard about the high costs of health care. But, when was the last time you took Fido to the vet? Pet care and pet health is rising exponentially as people are more and more inclined to treat pets like cherished members of the family. 
There are all kinds of items and add-ons that look necessary when purchasing your insurance policy. The reality is that some of them will do more harm than good for you if you ever make a claim on them. 
Wild weather and a few unnatural disasters in recent years have brought the genuine need for flood insurance in most areas of the country to light.
Auto insurance is required in all U.S. states. The minimum coverage varies greatly from one state to the next. 
Most people don’t give much thought to life insurance. For some, it’s about what comes “after” and that’s not something the average person is comfortable thinking about.
College represents exciting times in the lives of students. It’s also a time filled with decisions and difficult choices about how to budget life, learning, and recreation. It’s a delicate balance where missing important details and purchases could cost you big in the long-term. 
If you have employees, you already know that workers’ compensation benefits are an absolute requirement. What you may not understand, though, is why it’s so important?