What Are the Primary Causes to Foundation Problems?
Primary Causes of Foundation Problems
Despite popular belief, foundation problems do not occur randomly. Rather, they come about gradually as a result of one or multiple external factors. Ultimately, moisture is the root of just about every structural issue. Either too much moisture or too little moisture and your home could be in trouble.
We’ll detail the primary causes of foundation problems…
Dry Trees and/or Plants
If trees and plants are desperate for moisture then they will dig into the foundation soil to get it. This will cause certain areas of soil to dry up quicker than others. You don’t want this to happen. Instead, you want the moisture to be spread out evenly beneath your home.
To prevent this from happening, all you have to do is water your plants and trees. Give them the water that they need so they don’t have to search for it beneath the foundation.
Poor Drainage
A structure’s integrity will be compromised without the help of a good drainage system. Your roof, gutters, downspouts, and lawn each play a role in the overall health of your foundation. The roof should be sloped to where all precipitation filters toward the gutters. Gutters should lead water without obstruction to the downspouts and water should filter away from your foundation once leaving the downspouts as long as your lawn is leading it away.
If your home drainage system does not do its job then puddles will form on the outskirts of your foundation. The longer water stays in the same place, the longer it has to seep into the soil. Water is good for the soil, but not too much. If pools of water form then too much water will enter the soil at once, possibly resulting in foundation settling.
Plumbing Leaks
Plumbing leaks will overwhelm a foundation with moisture. Poor drainage can at least be noticed; however, more often than not, a homeowner is completely unaware of a leak until it’s too late. There could be a minor leak dripping away at the soil or a major leak poured into the soil. Either way, its moisture being leaked without your control nor knowledge. If a plumbing leak exists, it will eventually cause foundation problems.
Poor Soil Conditions
Weather can be a real burden, especially in Dallas, TX. Dallas natives deal with non-ideal weather every year. Droughts occur throughout the summer and spring weather can bring with it tons of rain. Long dry spells will cause the soil beneath your home to shrink, while periods of heavy rain will cause the soil beneath your home to expand. Either extreme can be detrimental to a home foundation.
Perhaps one quadrant of your home has less soil than the other three quadrants. Such an instance can cause part of the home to settle while the rest of it stays in place. Suddenly, your walls are cracking, doors are jamming and you’re calling a foundation expert to figure out why.
If you feel your home foundation has fallen victim to any of the above occurrences, give Structured Foundation Repairs a call at 972-484-1200. We’ll send an expert out right away to inspect the foundation. If a problem does exist, we’ll explain and execute the needed repair to get your foundation back to safe standing. Please visit our website and our blog to learn more.