As a homeowner, you likely
prioritize home repairs depending on how soon they need to be done. An overflowing toilet is priority #1…a kitchen faucet that sprays water all over the room is also a priority, and so on. But most homeowners, if they even notice the tiny cracks in their foundation at all, aren’t too quick to make the repair. After all, you probably think “homes are supposed to settle, and a little cracking is totally normal.”
But while
basement crack repair may be one of those matters you choose to file under “I’ll keep an eye on it” rather than “I’ll call someone right away,” this can be detrimental in many ways. Here’s why.
Why Should You Pay Attention to Your Foundation?
Home foundation repair is crucial for any house, which means you should take care of any issues right away. While a few small cracks in the foundation may not seem like a huge deal at the moment, they can actually be warning signs that are telling you what’s coming down the line.
Acting upon these concerns now will help you
avoid major foundation problems later.
Here are some reasons why you should always make
foundation repair a priority:
Your Home Moves Seasonally
Throughout the seasons, the weather causes your home to move in small yet significant ways,
sinking in hotter months and rising in colder ones. If you fail to address foundation repairs right away, that up-and-down motion will do a number on your plumbing, placing undue stress on your pipes. They may break, sending water pouring into your home.
Settling Affects Windows and Doors
A little sinking or settling is normal, but when it happens to an excessive degree, other components of your house besides the foundation will suffer. When your house shifts, it can damage window wells, door frames and sheetrock. Don’t hassle with secondary repairs.
Get at the root cause of the issue first.
It Saves You Time and Money
Cost is one of the biggest reasons you should address repairs now rather than later. It’s true that foundation repair may cost more than you were expecting; no one wants a bill for something so functional – a vacation would be so much more glamorous. We get it. But the truth is,
the situation will only get worse with time, not better. On top of that, labor and material costs continue to rise. Especially if you plan to sell your home or make any big home improvements, you should get this important repair done now before it becomes an issue. Waiting will only mean that the repair will be
more difficult, time consuming and costly.
How to Check for Foundation Issues
Foundations settle as the years go by. Some settling is completely normal and expected; excessive settling is not. Major shifts can indicate a foundation problem. There are ways you can check for red flags. Just take a walk around your home and do a visual inspection of the foundation. Here are five easy ways to do that.
1. Examine Foundation Walls
Cracks are one of the biggest indicators of foundation problems. Check both the exterior and interior of your foundation and be on the lookout for cracks. Some are vertical, some are horizontal and some look like a stair step pattern.
Stair step or diagonal cracks that zig-zag up your foundation wall usually indicate soil pressure or settlement. Vertical cracks indicate foundation issues, including drying shrinkage. Large horizontal cracks are more serious, indicating a wall is in danger of bowing or collapsing.
2. Check the Ground Around Your Home
Soil should slope away from your foundation so rainwater and snowmelt can drain away from your home rather than into your basement. When a grade is too flat or it runs towards your home, water could be damaging your foundation and leaking into your basement. Incorrectly placed rain gutters will funnel water toward your house rather than away, so check that your downspouts are directing water well away from the foundation.
3. Check if Your Chimney is Tilting
A tilting or leaning chimney can signal major foundation issues, particularly of a settling foundation. The soil around your home moves and constantly changes, which often makes the foundation weak and unstable. When soil becomes weak and saturated, it compromises your foundation. Sinking foundations may not be evident from the ground, but they can often be more easily seen by a chimney that leans to one side.
4. Be Mindful of Where Trees are Planted
Trees, shrubs and other plants may add beauty to your landscape but their extensive root systems can threaten your foundation. Were you aware that roots can occupy an area up to seven times the surface area that’s occupied by the crown of a tree?
It’s unlikely that the roots would make their way through your foundation walls, but the disruption caused by the root system to the surrounding soil has a direct impact on your walls. Roots rob the soil of much-needed moisture, and many soils are sensitive to the amount of moisture in the ground.
5. Test Doors and Windows
If you have a door that never seems to stay closed or a window that is almost impossible to open, this can signal a foundation problem. That’s because movement in your foundation tends to have an effect on the alignment of doors and windows.
What to Expect in a Foundation Repair
Understanding the foundation repair process and what to expect is crucial as a homeowner. Foundation repairs can be a major event but when you can
prepare yourself by knowing what to expect, this will
ease worries and set expectations. Aftermath Structural Repair is well versed in
foundation repair and can walk you through the process step by step.
Generally, here’s what you can expect.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all Texas foundation problems are created equally, or require one quick fix. You need to fully understand and diagnose the problem so the right solution can be suggested and carried out. Sometimes, the structure settles on the interior only, while other times it’s
coupled with exterior settling. There may be a
plumbing leak that has to be corrected first before any other work can be done.
Initial Analysis
In the initial analysis with your foundation repair company, these issues can be fully explored. At this time, you can also get a
free estimate on the cost for suggested repairs, as well as a
timeline for completion. Once you sign off on the repairs, the work can begin.
Foundation Repair – Piers
The weight load of a house rests mainly on the exterior grade beam, going around the foundation’s perimeter. Weight loads that span across the house also feature grade beams that
support interior load-bearing walls. If the settlement of the house is located in the area of these load-bearing grade beams (exterior and interior), it makes more sense to use traditional pressed piers, as they are designed to reach depths where there is
little to no soil movement.
Here’s a brief overview of the process:
- First, we will dig a shallow hole at each pier location to get to the grade beam. Piers are spaced every 8 feet in residential homes and every 6 feet in multi-story or commercial buildings.
- Then, we will press 6-inch solid concrete cylinders to depth until we reach a point of refusal. The structure will then lift to the desired elevation.
- We will cover each pier location up, compact it, and place it back to its original condition. Where there is concrete prohibiting access, such as with porches or driveways, we will need to cut away break-outs in order to access the exterior grade beam.
- We will then pour the break-out concrete back to its original elevation.
Keep in mind, typical residential pier work can be completed in
two to five days.
Polyurethane Foundation Repair
Polyurethane is the best option when
lifting and stabilizing the interior slab-on-grade rather than the exterior grade beam. The interior slab is between four and six inches thick, which requires a wider area of support in order to generate the lift required.
Here’s a look at the polyurethane foundation repair process:
- We start by drilling a 5/8” hole through the foundation to gain access. The high-density polyurethane material enters the ground with low pressure as a liquid.
- The two-part polymer mixes together, expands, and fills any air voids in existence underneath the foundation.
- Once the soil compresses to the point of refusal, the foundation will lift due to the expansion of the high-density polyurethane.
- We lift the foundation using a controlled injection method that we monitor through the use of a Zip-Level. This allows our technicians to know when the right amount of lift has been achieved within 1/10 of an inch.
Most polyurethane foundation repairs take
one day to complete.
Contact Aftermath Structural Repair
If you suspect you need a
foundation repair in Houston, please
contact us today. It’s never a good idea to hesitate!
