Are Unlevel Steps Dangerous?

Yes and no. Unlevel steps may or may not be connected to larger issues within your home, but they always present some risks to you and anyone else who visits your home. Furthermore, they can act as a warning sign for bigger problems on the horizon. 

You Can Trip and Fall on Unlevel Steps 

Even if unlevel steps are entirely benign and pose no threat to your property as a whole, they can cause serious accidents and injury to you and those you love most. Uneven, unstable, or damaged stairs are a danger to anyone who has to use them. No one is more at risk than those who are already vulnerable; the elderly, young children, and those who have issues with mobility and depth perception are most likely to fall. This is especially the case when there is no hand rail. 

A fall on hard concrete steps can be serious for anyone, even if the steps are small, but for these people who are already at risk, the consequences could be dire. The elderly or frail, for example, could end up with broken bones as a result of a fall from unlevel steps. As such, it is a far better idea to have this damage dealt with sooner rather than later. 

They Are a Warning Sign You Shouldn’t Ignore 

There is also a very good chance that unlevel steps are a warning of active and ongoing issues around your home. If this is the case, you could have damage to your foundation or the structure of your property without even knowing it. After all, many of the same things that cause unlevel steps, sinking driveways, and sunken concrete sidewalks will also lead to foundation subsidence and settlement. 

Weak, loose, or marshy soil, for example, can cause unlevel steps and foundation subsidence. In fact, in this case, your unlevel steps could even be a symptom of foundation subsidence or settlement. Likewise, if there are gaps forming under your steps as a result of soil washout or erosion, there are a number of foundation problems that could be co-occurring with your unlevel steps as a result