As rock solid as we like to imagine them being, and as well-built as they commonly are, foundations do take damage and fall into disrepair eventually. Some foundation damage can be easy to spot: typically, pressure against the foundation walls can be seen in the basement as bowing, and if that’s not visible there may be cracks above the surface. No matter where you live, be it in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (DFW) or the Greater Boston area (Suffolk County), you need to know about foundation repair, so it makes sense to inform yourself early about what to look for.
If you have a basement it’s a bit easier to check for foundation damage. You can look for bowed walls and cracking, as compared to just the exposed foundation above ground like you would have to in a home without a basement. Now, what does a bowed wall look like?
Bowing here means a bending of the wall in response to pressure changes. A wall will typically bow in if the ground has swollen along one side. What you can look for is a curve or bend in the wall itself. It’s easier to see it if you know what it looks like, and it’s easier to learn from pictures and videos than from words.
Cracks are a different story. It’s very easy to know what those look like – they look like cracks in the foundation. They can be minor hairline cracks or major cracks that actually deform the foundation and affect the support for the house. Remember, if there was enough pressure to cause bowing it will also cause cracks, and the cracks will worsen. It’s a matter of how much you want to pay for repair. The sooner you catch things the better.
You might be wondering what puts you at risk for foundation damage. The first and most obvious answer is tree roots. Having a tree too close to the foundation can apply great pressure on the walls and base, and tree roots are very diligent, once they find a crack they will keep growing and keep expanding the crack. Tree roots aren’t the only thing, expansive or contract soils can play a role as well. Swelling clay mud can exert over time a great amount of pressure on a foundation wall. Changes in the moisture levels of the soil can cause the ground to settle under the foundation or to swell and press against it. Either way it can create pressure and damage the foundation.
If you’re at the point you’re seeing bowing you need to look into local options for repair services. It’s not worth letting it crack before you call; the sooner you get the foundation repaired the better. So if you see the signs search carefully for good local repair people. If you live in DFW of Suffolk county, you’ll be able to find proper options for foundation repair. It’s something of a specialized skill, so just calling a home contractor is not enough. Your best bet is to find someone specialized and local. The advantage to local is they can get to you in a reasonable time, and if they’ve specialized in foundation repair they can do the job right the first time. It’s bad enough to need repair, it’s worse to need repair twice.
Dfw Foundation Repair – Accurate Foundation Repair L.L.C. is one of the leaders in innovation, production and installation of steel pier foundation repair products & services. Offering remedial repairs to home owners property managers and real estate professionals based in the DFW area, Contact at: , (817)561-9339 or (972)-623-2500 billafr@aol.com
