Foundation Repair

Common Home Foundation Issues

Cracks in your foundation wall? Foundation walls bowing or leaning? Cracks in your basement floor? Mortar between your foundation blocks cracked or crumbling? These are just a few signs that your foundation needs attention. Your foundation supports the entire weight of your home and any problems with your foundation should not be ignored. When you schedule an appointment with B-Dry®Systems of Louisville for foundation repair, your consultant will inspect the condition of your foundation, alert you to any concerns, and provide expert recommendations on foundation repair.

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Signs of possible foundation problems show up both inside and outside the home. Inside the home you may notice cracks in the drywall, misaligned doors or windows that stick, cracks in floor tile, sagging areas in the floor, basement walls bowing in or out, cracks in the basement walls, leaking basement walls, and crumbling mortar joints in block walls. Outside the home there may be cracks in the bricks or mortar, gaps around doors or windows, cracks in the foundation, leaning chimney, and separation of exterior boards. Your home may exhibit some of these symptoms of foundation problems without having any major foundation issues. But since your home is often your largest investment and an untreated foundation problem can cause major damage it makes good sense to have your home inspected anytime these symptoms are present.

Replacing a failed foundation wall can be expensive and may require jacking up the home, removing porches, driveways, landscaping, etc and excavating around the foundation, then installing the new wall. There are ways to support a foundation wall to prevent it from failing, though. B-Dry® Systems of Louisville can often stabilize and support a weakened foundation will with steel I-beams, carbon fiber strips, and wall anchors.

Causes of Foundation Problems

Water

Water is one of the main causes of foundation problems. Too little water around the foundation during dry weather causes the soil supporting the foundation to contract allowing the foundation to sink and walls to bow outward. Too much water during heavy rains and the soil expands pushing the foundation up and putting tremendous pressure on the foundation walls. In addition, water flow around the foundation can erode soil supporting the structure causing the foundation to drop. One of the best methods to reduce the occurrence of foundation problems is the installation of an exterior or interior waterproofing system that moves water away from your home’s foundation. B-Dry® Systems of Louisville is the areas leader in waterproofing systems and can help reduce the likelihood of foundations problems in the future with an effective waterproofing system.

Poor Drainage

Poor drainage typically plays a major role in water problems around the foundation. Downspouts discharging water near the foundation, poor grading allowing surface water to collect near the home, and underground water sources surfacing by the foundation can all cause major problems. Your B-Dry® Systems of Louisville consultant can assess your yard drainage and make recommendations to protect your foundation from excessive water.

Plumbing Leaks

Rain is not the only source of water that can damage your foundation, however. Undetected plumbing leaks near the exterior of your home can also create significant water pressure on foundation walls and erosion of supporting soils. If you experience an unusually high water bill for no reason, you should consider having your plumbing inspected for leaks by a licensed plumber.

Foundation Cracks

Most foundations will exhibit some cracks over time. These cracks are caused by a number of factors including the drying and curing of the concrete, expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, and the pressure ground water exerts on your foundation during heavy rains. Small cracks that aren’t leaking or enlarging over time may not present a problem. Some cracks should not be ignored, however. These cracks include any crack wide enough to slip in a penny, any crack that is leaking, any crack going through a brick or block, any crack increasing in size over time, and any horizontal crack longer than a couple of feet. B-Dry® Systems of Louisville has expertise in both diagnosing the severity of foundation cracks and also repairing them. Call today for a no cost inspection.