What You Need to Know About Foundation Repairs

Although you can’t see it, the foundation is one of the most crucial elements of any structure. Without a solid foundation, a home or commercial building can literally collapse into the ground. After all, the foundation supports the entire structure.

Unfortunately, foundations can have problems over time like cracking or weakening due to moisture.

This post from our foundation excavation team will cover everything you need to know about foundation repairs.

Causes of foundation damage

Earthquakes, powerful tornadoes and other natural disasters are the fastest and most devastating causes of foundation damage; however, this damage doesn’t always happen at once. It can occur slowly over time.

Shifting soil conditions due to erosion can put more pressure on one area of the foundation, leading to problems five, ten or even twenty years down the road. We also see cracks in the foundation caused by leaking pipes or poor drainage that can eventually cause the concrete foundation to crumble away.

Tree roots are another cause of foundation damage. As trees grow taller, their roots grow wider and longer. As the roots grow bigger, they get stronger—strong enough to break through a concrete foundation. For that reason, you must always plant trees far from a foundation.

What happens if you don’t repair a damaged foundation?

Foundation damage takes a toll on an entire structure. A building or house starts to settle and shift once the foundation floors or walls become compromised.

Although all houses settle a little bit, too much shifting can cause cracks in interior and exterior walls, leading to pest intrusion and even mold growth. You may even notice jammed doors and windows as the foundation starts to go, and your plumbing can start to pull away from your walls, causing leaks.

As you can probably tell, there are plenty of things to look for that indicate a damaged foundation. Watch out for cracks in your walls, uneven doors or windows or even movement of light fixtures attached to the ceiling. Be sure to call a foundation excavation team right away to make repairs if you think something’s wrong with your foundation.

How long does a foundation repair last?

Ideally, (like any repair) foundation repairs should last a lifetime after the repairs are made, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. If you hire an inexperienced contractor who only fixes cosmetic damage or uses unreliable materials for the job, your foundation repairs might only last a few years at most. After that, you’ll start to notice the same signs of foundation damage—only this time, things will be worse.

What to look for in a foundation repair service

For the best foundation repairs, always choose a team with decades of on-the-job experience and a proven track record of making reliable repairs on all sorts of structures.

At Estes Excavating Inc., we have years of experience repairing foundations, and we know what it takes to ensure foundation repairs last a lifetime. Contact us today to get a quote or to learn more about how long foundation repair lasts.

Categorised in: Foundations

This post was written by Writer