8 Signs of Foundation Problems to Look for Before You Start Your Garden.
Summer is just around the corner, and many homeowners are spending a lot of time in their yards, prepping the lawn, re-arranging the landscape, planting new flower beds and vegetable gardens.
That is a great time to also take a good look at your house from the outside and look for signs of foundation problems. Should you find any problems, this is also a great time to address them, before your landscaping is all tidied up and your garden is fully grown, because some foundation repair involves a certain level of disruption to your yard.
Cassi Henes, is a foundation expert from Peak Structural, Inc. – a Denver, CO based Foundation Repair Company. Cassi is the author of many articles and a book about foundation problems and solutions in Colorado, and she helped me compile a list of signs to look for as you go about your springtime yard chores.
Cracks on Foundation Walls.
Horizontal cracks on poured concrete walls, or stair step cracks on cinderblock walls are always a reason for concern. They are a sign that the movement of soil around the foundation is putting an enormous pressure on your basement walls and left untreated, that pressure will cause the walls to bow or lean inwards. Vertical cracks that are V-shaped or wide enough for you to insert the tip of a pencil in are also a reason for concern, as they might indicate foundation settlement. Hairline vertical cracks are common in poured concrete walls. They might occur due to concrete shrinkage and usually don’t affect the structural integrity of the home, but make sure you monitor them closely. Look for cracks that grow and shrink in size.
Foundation Walls that are Visibly Bowed or Leaning
If your foundation walls are already bowing or leaning, don’t think for a moment that they will stabilize on their own. The soil will continue exerting pressure over them, and they will eventually crumble and be structurally compromised. It is only a matter of time. This type of problem can be easily and permanently fixed by a number of methods that will include wall anchors, wall braces, carbon-reinforced strips and helical anchors. A good foundation repair company will be able to indicate the best method after inspecting the walls.
Crumbling Mortar on Stone Foundations
Stone foundations are uneven and you won’t be able to observe a crack of any shape in the walls. Instead, you will notice that the mortar that holds the stones together begins to crumble, due to the pressure exerted by the surrounding soil on the foundation walls.
Crumbling mortar in a foundation should be checked out by a foundation repair specialist since some foundation mortar problems are structural in nature.
Sloping floors.
Sloping floors are generally split into two categories--slabs or not.
Basement slabs, or slab type foundations can slope and sink due to poor soil condition or soil erosion. A foundation repair company will be able to examine the problem and indicate the best approach to solve. In some cases, mudjacking or injection of structural-grade polymer under the slab will help fill voids in the eroded soil underneath and lift the slab. If the soil itself doesn’t offer enough support for the weight of the slab, there are special piers that are driven deep into the ground until they reach a bed of rock or a layer of soil that is steady enough to support the structure, and used to stabilize and lift the slab back to its original position.
When non-slab floors, like the ones above basements and crawl spaces, are sloping, have a foundation repair specialist out to check on things. You may need to adjust or rebuild your pads and piers, or you might need crawl space jacks to reinforce the floor support and lift it back into level.
Tilting or Sinking Chimneys
“Sinking Chimneys are definitely the right type of work for a foundation repair company to handle.” – explains Cassi. “They will place between 2 and 6 piers under the chimney to restore it to level condition. The number of piers will vary depending on the size of the chimney, the type and condition of the chimney's foundation, and the overall weight of the structure.”
Sinking Patios, Sidewalks and Driveways.
Patios, driveways and sidewalks that are sinking can be re-leveled by mudjacking or structural-grade polymer injection. If the concrete is crumbling, patios and sidewalks can be re-poured by reputable flat work contractor. The fact that patios are settling, however, may be a cause for concern as there may be underlying issues causing the problem, so it is a good idea to have a foundation repair company inspect the place.
Grading that is Tilted toward Your Home.
The backfilled soil around your foundation tends to settle overtime and cause the grading to lean towards the foundation walls. Grading that is tilting toward your home is always a problem because it will cause water to pool next to your foundation walls. The soaked soil will expand and exert tons of pressure on your foundation walls, hydrostatic pressure will cause basement leaks.
You can repair the grade yourself, or hire a landscaper to assist you with that work. Normally, re-grading is not handled by foundation repair companies, but many will address that concern during their estimate consultation.
Clogged Gutters and Downspouts Discharging Close to the Foundation.
Just as it happens with improperly graded terrain, clogged gutters and downspouts discharging too close to the foundation will cause water to pool close to the house, and cause all sorts of foundation problems, including basement leaks. Keep your gutters clean (or install them if you don’t have any) and consider downspout extensions to discharge the runoff water as far in the yard as possible.
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