Home foundations will shift due to normal stress and fatigue over time. A lot of this depends on the type of soil as well but it's not easy to factor this in unless it was a huge problem to begin with.
What we'll discuss briefly here is how to quickly determine how much
foundation repair work needs to be done. There are about three levels of foundation damage which are cosmetic, functional and structural types. You can check out
foundation repair Austin for more info on foundation repair.
Cosmetic damage is what usually alarms any homeowner since cracks to exterior brick or interior sheet rock is worrisome. It might not be anything but slight shifts but having a professional company check on this is still recommended just in case.
Functional damage shows up as doors or windows not aligning properly and closing. Pockets of hot or cold air entering the home are also signs of this. Parts of the structure are not functioning properly in this case and damage control would include underpinning or addition of piers to level the foundation to correct the affected areas.
Structural damage is the worst kind and requires changes beyond the typical repair which include possible rebuilding of the foundation. Huge breaks in the foundation are an obvious sign.
These were just a brief overview of what to look out for in the varying levels of foundation damage. Hopefully these were helpful and any sign should be examined by a professional to ensure safety.