When the foundation fails, your home doesn’t “work.” It may not lock doors or keep you dry and pest-free.
It might even sink or sag. Rather than ignoring these issues, invest in a quality repair method and get back on track. Contact Foundation Repair Greensboro NC for professional help.
In the Pacific, residents are surrounded by natural beauty, from blooming prairies to rolling hills and river valleys. However, these landscapes often contain expansive soil that can damage homes and other buildings over time. This is because expansive soil contains clay minerals that are able to absorb water and swell dramatically when wet. This process puts pressure on foundations, causing cracks and shifts over time. This shrink-swell cycle can also impact other hardscape features around a home, including driveways, sidewalks and patios.
Expansive soil damage is estimated to cost property owners $2.3 billion annually, which surpasses the costs associated with hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize they have expansive soil in their yards until it is too late and they need foundation repairs.
Symptoms of expansive soil are easy to identify and can start with noticeable cracks in walls and floors, especially around doors and windows. This is because expansive soil swells when it becomes wet, exerting upward and lateral pressure on concrete foundations. As the soil dries, it shrinks, creating gaps that can compromise a foundation’s stability.
These problems are exacerbated when improper drainage allows water to pool around a foundation, saturating it and increasing the amount of pressure it exerts on overlying structures. This is why it’s important to have proper grading and drainage solutions in place, to prevent water from collecting in areas surrounding your foundation.
If you suspect your foundation may be affected by expansive soil, it’s important to take a proactive approach and schedule regular inspections with a TerraFirma system design specialist. These inspections will provide you with the information you need to determine if your soil is problematic and recommend the appropriate repairs.
Expansive soil can be repaired by replacing it with a structural fill that is compacted and composed of impermeable non-swelling materials. Alternatively, chemical stabilization methods can be used to alter the shrink-swell potential of clay minerals.
Water Damage
If water damage isn’t treated promptly, it can cause cracking in the foundation walls. This may be accompanied by sinking or bowing of the house, sagging floors and sticking doors and windows. These complications can lower the value of a home and make it less desirable to live in.
Foundation experts begin by inspecting the interior of the home, examining sagging floors and checking the walls for cracks. They will also go into crawl spaces to check for issues like rotting beams and moisture problems. Once they have a visual map of the damage, they will compare it to the measurements that were taken earlier to pinpoint any inconsistencies between the two. They will take into account roofing problems, humidity changes and weather fluctuations as well, since they can affect the movement of a home’s foundation.
The next step is to determine the source of the water problem. Often, it’s simply a case of poor drainage. This can be caused by clogged gutters that allow rainwater to spill over the side of the house in sheets, downspouts that don’t direct the water away from the foundation, or broken water or sewer lines. Poor drainage can lead to soil saturation that exerts pressure on the foundation walls and can seep into basements.
Moisture and mold spores can also be a serious problem for foundations. These spores travel in the air and can settle in any porous materials in your home, including the foundation itself. They can then grow and start to degrade the concrete. If left untreated, this can create a large problem that requires extensive repair work and replacement of materials like wood and carpet. In some cases, a full replacement of the foundation may be necessary. A reputable contractor will be able to offer advice on the best course of action for each individual situation.
Poor Drainage
If soil surrounding your foundation is not draining properly, it will saturate and expand, increasing pressure against your foundation walls. Over time, this can lead to cracking and settling. It also increases your risk of water damage inside your home and can cause other structural issues like sagging floors or leaning chimneys.
In addition, standing water around your foundation can promote the growth of mold and other pests that thrive in moist environments. This may lead to serious health concerns for you and your family. In the worst-case scenario, untreated drainage problems can even undermine your foundation, causing it to crack and shift, potentially resulting in the need for major and costly repairs.
Poor drainage can be caused by a variety of factors, including improper yard grading, overwatering of landscaping, and clogged gutters. A professional can assess your drainage system and make necessary adjustments to ensure that water is flowing away from the foundation. A French drain or surface drain placed in the right location can effectively reduce your risk of foundation deterioration, but it is crucial to maintain these drains to avoid blockage or erosion.
Another cause of poor drainage is the proximity of trees to your foundation. As tree roots grow, they can displace the soil underneath the foundation, which can create uneven settling and instability. It’s also possible for tree roots to absorb significant moisture from the soil, which can shrink and weaken foundational concrete.
Signs of drainage problems include puddles around your foundation, interior wall cracking, leaning chimneys, sagging floors, and crumbling or shifting foundation piers. These signs are indicative of a problem with the drainage system, and should be addressed as soon as they appear.
Proper drainage is essential to preserving the structure and value of your home. If you notice any of the above signs, contact a professional for foundation repair in Oklahoma City immediately to prevent future damage and save yourself from costly repairs down the road. By investing in the right drainage solutions and performing regular maintenance, you can protect your home from a host of foundation-related problems and safeguard your investment for years to come.
Old Foundation
When the foundation of your home experiences significant deterioration, it may be time to consider replacement. This is a complicated construction process that involves completely removing the old foundation and building a new one in its place. There are several factors that go into determining whether this is the best solution, including soil conditions, which can have an impact on the stability of the foundation. Expansive clay soils, for example, can cause the foundation to shift and crack over time.
The age of your home can also have a significant impact on the condition of its foundation. Homes that are older than 50 years may be more prone to a variety of foundation issues, and should be regularly inspected for warning signs. Early detection and prompt action can prevent the problems from getting worse and resulting in more extensive and expensive repairs.
Some signs of a deteriorating foundation include concrete spalling, which occurs when the surface of the concrete begins to flake and chip away. This is a result of the steel reinforcing bars within the concrete starting to corrode, which can weaken the structure. If you notice this issue, it is important to contact a professional as soon as possible to assess the damage and determine the best course of action.
Other issues that can indicate a deteriorating foundation include leaning walls and uneven floors. Both of these issues can be caused by a number of different issues, but should be assessed and addressed immediately. If left untreated, they can lead to serious structural instability that could make the building unsafe for residents and posing safety risks.
There are a number of foundation repair solutions that can help to address the underlying causes of foundation deterioration and repair the existing structure. Common methods include underpinning with push or helical piers, which transfer the weight of the structure from the existing foundation to load-bearing soil or bedrock. Mudjacking is a method that addresses sunken and uneven concrete surfaces, and waterproofing techniques can be used to address moisture-related problems.
