Structural problems in a house can be complicated and costly to resolve. As such, it's worth taking steps to ensure that your home remains structurally sound. Here are two such steps.

Replace or repair damaged roof trusses promptly

Roof trusses are designed to support your home's roof. If they begin to deteriorate, the weight of the roof can begin to bear down on the rest of the house's timber framework; this additional pressure can, in turn, cause serious structural problems throughout the entire property.

As such, it is important to check the condition of your home's roof trusses on a regular basis and to arrange for a contractor to replace or repair any damaged ones that you discover.

There are a number of things you should look out for when checking your property's roof trusses for signs of damage. These include small holes and uneven edges (both of which can indicate the presence of termites), as well as changes to the timber's texture (if for example, the wood feels soft and crumbles easily when touched, it might mean the truss has developed wet rot).

It's important to act quickly if or when you find a damaged roof truss. If you wait several months to hire a contractor to repair the damage, you could end up having to deal with several other structural problems throughout the rest of your home as well.

Check for signs of dampness regularly

Dampness can have a serious impact on the structural integrity of a house.

The reason for this is that the structural frameworks of most houses are made from timber. The moisture generated by dampness can lead to this timber developing the above-mentioned wet rot; a fungus which eats away at any wood that it grows on.

If your home has a damp problem and you fail to recognise and address the issue, there is a very good chance that this fungus will spread throughout your house's entire timber framework.

If this should happen, the timber could become so damaged that the property becomes unsafe to live in. In this situation, you would probably need to hire both a building contractor and a structural engineer to repair the damage and make the house habitable.

Given this, it is vital to watch out for signs of dampness in your home. Some of the main indicators of a damp problem in a property are condensation on the windows, black mould on the walls and patches of peeling wallpaper.

If you notice any of these signs, you should contact a contractor like Prefab Technology Pty Ltd who specialises in damp proofing to address the issue.