If you have foundation issues, it’s important that you fix the underlying problem. The most common cause of foundation damage is water. When water accumulates in the soil around the foundation, it expands the soil and puts pressure on the walls and foundation footings, causing cracks to appear.
Do you have cracks in the sheetrock in your home? Cracks over doors can signal foundation problems. Eventually it may become difficult to open and close doors and windows, and the cracks may be unsightly.
Reinforcement bar (rebar) and welded wire fabric are added during construction to strengthen poured concrete foundations. Carbon-fiber sheet straps, however, are often the most effective way to reinforce and stabilize existing foundations that are beginning to fail.
It’s important to remember that your foundation plays a critical role in keeping your home structurally sound. If you start to notice the signs that your foundation may be in bad shape, it’s important to have it repaired right away.
Steel pins or piles can be used to repair certain type of foundation damage. This process requires driving a steel pile into the ground next to the foundation until it hits bedrock, and then it is moved into position under the building.
It’s important to remember that homes with foundation issues can be considerably more difficult to sell than other homes. Let’s ensure your foundation is in top condition so you can get top dollar for your home.
Did you know that a single crack in the foundation of a home or building, if ignored, has the potential to become large enough that it can cause that home or building to collapse? This is why any visible cracks in the foundation need to be addressed as soon as they develop.
Foundation work does have a hierarchy of emergency, ranging from the cosmetic to repairs that require immediate attention or risk building collapse. Working with a team of professionals who understand how to prioritize repairs saves you money and prevents serious problems from developing.
Sometimes, basement wall and floor cracks are nothing more than hairline fractures caused by shrinkage due to the curing process of concrete. However, if these cracks leak water or appear to widen as time passes, they can be an indication of a developing foundation problem.
Under certain conditions, foundations have been known to buckle when the exterior walls have been insulated without proper planning. The effects of extremely wet soils and freezing conditions are not properly mitigated and the walls get pushed in.
Over time, all houses settle. How much they settle is based on a number of factors, including how the house was designed, how the house was constructed, and the type of soil upon which the house was built.
If you’ve been considering putting your home on the real estate market, it’s critical that you have the foundation repaired first. Without a solid foundation under your home, you may not be able to attract the buyers you’re looking for.
It’s smart to use reinforcement mesh to patch hairline cracks in foundation walls. Why? While epoxy or patching compounds alone may work, the mesh stabilizes the crack and prevents it from expanding or separating.
Did you know that in most cases, it’s not the actual foundation that’s the problem? In fact, in most cases, it’s the soil underneath the slab that’s the problem (as foundations don’t tend to move unless the soil beneath them does).
In foundations, not all cracks are created equally. In fact, hairline "fractures" in the foundation are often nothing more than the normal settling. These hairline cracks are also called shrinkage cracks and are seldom an issue. A professional foundation repair company can tell you if your foundation cracks are normal or not.
Are you concerned that all the cracks forming around your home’s exterior could allow water to get in and rot your studs? When a foundation issue is causing the cracks, it’s imperative that you deal with the foundation before you focus on filling cracks.
A concrete slab is an area of concrete that’s laid as a single piece to serve as a home or building’s foundation. Modern slabs are reinforced with steel rebar or steel cables.
Although it may not be impossible to sell a home with a weak or damaged foundation, you certainly won’t be able to get the asking price you’d hoped to receive. When you can’t afford to take a major hit on the sales price, we’re always ready to help with foundation repairs.
While there are some home improvement tasks that you can easily put off until you have more money available to spend on them, your foundation isn’t one of them. The longer you put off foundation repairs, the more likely you’ll experience more widespread damage.
When we see cracks in the brick on our home’s exterior our instinct may be to patch up the crack. However, the crack isn’t just the problem. It could signal foundation problems.
Cracking in brick foundations are stair-stepped along the mortar joints, or diagonal, breaking through the brick. In most cases, this is not a catastrophic problem, but repair is needed before it becomes one.
We recognize that many homeowners are capable of completing any home improvement tasks their house requires. Before you try to tackle a foundation repair on your own, you may want to consult with a professional to determine the severity of the damage.
When drainage is poor around a building, foundation problems can develop. If you have pools of standing water near the home on a regular basis (after rains or watering), or there has been construction near the pad, let us examine the slope and make repairs if a problem exists.
In addition to determining what caused the foundation problem, we must also conduct a soil analysis to determine what repair options will be the most effective and provide the longest-lasting solution to the problem.
Vertical cracks in foundations can cause structural components (posts, connectors, footings) to separate or shift. If this happens, not only are repairs to the foundation needed, but the underlying cause needs to be addressed as well.
Many experts cite improperly backfilled soil as the primary reason most houses settle. Why? Soil that has been excavated loses its compaction. When foundations are constructed on top of backfilled soil, the soil must be thoroughly compacted to provide a stable setting for the foundation.
If your home’s concrete slab collapses, it can cause big problems for your home. It can damage beams, joints and even the roof.
Unfortunately, a problem with your foundation could lead to water damage in your home. Since wall cracks created by a shifting foundation can create an opening for water and moisture, it’s critical to deal with foundation issues right away.
If a combination of vertical, horizontal and shear cracks have begun to sprout in the foundation walls in your basement, it indicates your foundation is responding to a complex combination of forces exerted by the soil outside and the load of the house.