How often do you come across cracks or small changes in the foundation of your home? These small differences can be a bigger deal than you may think. It’s important to know the warning signs and causes of your foundation sinking in order to prevent bigger problems in the future.
Causes
When the foundation of a home is sinking it is an indication that there is a problem with the ground or slab that the home was built on.
Soil Composition: A recurring cause of sinking foundations is if the soil underneath the foundation of the home changes. The moisture and dryness of the soil will change the support it has because it will change how the soil compacts and expands. The solubility of the soil will also be a big factor because some types of soil are richer in minerals, sandier, mostly clay, swampy, etc. Depending on these different solubilities the structure of the home may or may not be supported for a sufficient period of time.
Amount of Water: The amount of water in soil creates problems within the foundation of a home because certain soils hold more or less water. More water causes soil to expand and less water causes it to compact. For example, drier soils will cause the slab/foundation of the home to drop which can cause damage. On the other hand, extreme saturation will also lead the slab to drop or cause upheaval. Soil can become too saturated if there is poor drainage around the home, broken pipes underground, or even if it was built on swampy land.
Foundation: The construction of the foundation of a building should be taken seriously and can prevent any sinking problems that could happen. Mortar is a common binding material used to hold the foundations of buildings together. This, however, is not the most effective material to use because it isn’t sustainable for a long period of time. Although it is very strong, over time it can crack from the external pressure of the soil. This can cause the base to start sinking or bowing.
There are many decisions to make before building the foundation of a home. Soil should be analyzed and compacted correctly, the foundation should be made out of proper material, and water solubility within the soil should be considered.
Warning Signs
It is easy to mistake warning signs as smaller issues.
Cracks: A big warning sign that there may be problems with your foundation sinking. Cracks on floors, walls, etc., are all signs that should be taken seriously and looked into ASAP. These cracks are a sign of movement with your foundation and the more it moves, the bigger and the more cracks there will be. Bigger cracks, especially ones that are zig-zag, should be taken the most seriously because they are a strong indicator that there is a problem.
Gaps: If you are seeing gaps around windows and door frames, or if they are not closing properly the frames may have shifted due to the foundation sinking. Often double doors won’t align, and frames will become crooked preventing doors or windows from opening/shutting properly. If any of these problems are occurring in your home be sure to take action as soon as you can.
Don’t put off the warning signs of a sinking foundation. Make it a priority to get checked out and get fixed. Level Best is here to prevent small problems from becoming bigger problems. Check out our website today for more information on our services. Fix your foundation today!