Being Prepared For Foundation Damage And Repair
by Floyd Dunn
A home's foundation provides stability, support, and overall structural integrity. However, there are various causes of foundation damage, which can impact the safety and value of your property. Homeowners need to be aware of the causes of foundation damage and the available repair methods to ensure their homes remain safe and structurally sound.
What Causes Foundation Damage?
A common cause of foundation damage is soil movement. Changes in soil moisture content can cause soil expansion or contraction, leading to shifting or settling foundations. Expansive soils like clay are particularly susceptible to these changes due to their ability to absorb large amounts of water during wet periods and shrink when it dries out. This constant change in volume puts pressure on a home's foundation, causing cracks or uneven settling over time.
Poor construction methods or substandard materials are additional reasons why foundations crack. Insufficient site preparation before pouring a concrete slab or using low-quality materials can make weak foundations more prone to cracking or shifting over time.
Can Foundation Repairs Be Done Without Excavation?
Piering repairs damaged foundations effectively without excavation by stabilizing them with steel piers driven deep into stable soil layers beneath your home's existing footing system. These piers offer strong support for the structure while lifting it back into its original position if there has been significant settlement due to soil movement.
Slabjacking is another non-invasive technique used for repairing settled foundations. It involves injecting a thick slurry underneath the affected areas until they rise back up into proper alignment with surrounding slabs. This method not only repositions a settled slab but also fills any voids beneath it caused by erosion or other factors contributing to the settlement.
What Is Slab Heave?
Slab heave is a form of foundation damage that occurs when the ground underneath a concrete slab expands or contracts unevenly, causing the slab to lift or sink in different areas. This can result in visible cracks, gaps between walls and floors, doors that no longer close properly, and even structural damage to a home's framing system. Slab heave typically results from poor drainage around a property or changes in soil moisture content due to weather conditions.
Repairing slab heave can be challenging because it often involves addressing underlying drainage and soil moisture management issues. In some cases, removing landscaping features such as trees or shrubs contributing to excess moisture near your home's foundation may be necessary. Installing proper drainage systems like French drains around your property can also help prevent future problems with slab heave. In more severe cases where significant lifting has occurred, underpinning methods like piering may be required for long-term stabilization.
If you need home foundation repair, reach out to a company like Texas Foundation Experts
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Welcome to a blog about the two C's. The two C's, as you might have already guessed are construction and contractors. These words are closely related. "Construction" refers to the art and science of building something. That something could be anything from a shed to a sidewalk. "Contractors" are the people who do the building. There are general contractors who do all sorts of building work, and then there are specialists who do work such as plumbing, electrical work, and drywall. Stop by and read a few articles when you have the time, and we promise you'll learn more about these two C's.