Doesn't matter if your home is brand new or 50-years old, it can be at risk for foundation failure.
What is foundation failure? It is when the foundation or basement walls begin to crack, shift, and crumble. If you catch the problem early, it can be fixed. If it is ignored, the foundaion will fall apart and the house can be condemmed. That probably sounds like a worst-case disaster scenario but it happens quite often. And, the worst part is, to fix the problem early is fairly inexpensive but if allowed to grow, those small cracks can add up to a failure that costs you between 50 and 100 thousand dollars to fix.
What causes foundation failure?
Any type of home can be hit with this problem. And, even new homes can have it happen, depending on how and where the home is built. Older homes that were built before it was common to use computer aided design were often built on areas that had under ground water problems and with foundations that just weren't strong enough to hold up to the pressures of the ground, water, and nature.
Homes with slab-on-grade foundations are almost always hit with some form of foundation problems.
So, what causes all this?
Having your home built on or around areas with a lot of clay soil types. Clay can expand and contract with moisture and temeprature. This places extreme stress on the walls and floor of your basement, causing cracks, bowing, and water corrosion. Improper back filling by your contractor (placing the soil back around the hole that was dug to make the basement/foundation) can also contribute to foundation cracks and problems.
How Can This Be Fixed?
If you notice the problem and have it fixed before it gets too bad, you can save your home, your wallet and your mind.
Usually an engineer is dispatched to do an analysis of the problem. They will help figure out the best course of action to re-stabalize the walls, floor and foundation. This can often include using "piering" or "underpinning." This is a system of using vertical steel anchors. Think of them as braces for your home's foundation. They can get things stable and stronger.
Then, the home should have a basement waterproofing system put in. This includes drainage to divert water and waterproofing of the interior and exterior of the basement walls. This will further aid in strengtheing the foundation walls by repelling water away. Water can be highly corrosive and when combined with the expanded size of the clay soil, can literally push your walls in and cause the failure.
If you notice cracks or bowing, call a professional right away. Let the engineer do their analysis and then possibly get the piers and waterproofing performed!
What is foundation failure? It is when the foundation or basement walls begin to crack, shift, and crumble. If you catch the problem early, it can be fixed. If it is ignored, the foundaion will fall apart and the house can be condemmed. That probably sounds like a worst-case disaster scenario but it happens quite often. And, the worst part is, to fix the problem early is fairly inexpensive but if allowed to grow, those small cracks can add up to a failure that costs you between 50 and 100 thousand dollars to fix.
What causes foundation failure?
Any type of home can be hit with this problem. And, even new homes can have it happen, depending on how and where the home is built. Older homes that were built before it was common to use computer aided design were often built on areas that had under ground water problems and with foundations that just weren't strong enough to hold up to the pressures of the ground, water, and nature.
Homes with slab-on-grade foundations are almost always hit with some form of foundation problems.
So, what causes all this?
Having your home built on or around areas with a lot of clay soil types. Clay can expand and contract with moisture and temeprature. This places extreme stress on the walls and floor of your basement, causing cracks, bowing, and water corrosion. Improper back filling by your contractor (placing the soil back around the hole that was dug to make the basement/foundation) can also contribute to foundation cracks and problems.
How Can This Be Fixed?
If you notice the problem and have it fixed before it gets too bad, you can save your home, your wallet and your mind.
Usually an engineer is dispatched to do an analysis of the problem. They will help figure out the best course of action to re-stabalize the walls, floor and foundation. This can often include using "piering" or "underpinning." This is a system of using vertical steel anchors. Think of them as braces for your home's foundation. They can get things stable and stronger.
Then, the home should have a basement waterproofing system put in. This includes drainage to divert water and waterproofing of the interior and exterior of the basement walls. This will further aid in strengtheing the foundation walls by repelling water away. Water can be highly corrosive and when combined with the expanded size of the clay soil, can literally push your walls in and cause the failure.
If you notice cracks or bowing, call a professional right away. Let the engineer do their analysis and then possibly get the piers and waterproofing performed!