Foundation Repair Methods

If you want to live in a safe and stable home for years to come, you may need to invest in its foundation. After all, a crumbling foundation endangers the entire building that rests upon it. The common problems that plague home foundations include settlement, sagging floors, and failing and bowing walls. You can turn to American Basement Company Inc for all your home foundation repair services and protect your most important asset.

For over two decades American Basement Company Inc has provided homeowners with foundation repair, wet basement solutions, new home waterproofing, basement waterproofing, and more. We’ve built a reputation for honest services and reliable work. Our team works with the best equipment available and has the training and certification needed for outstanding service. To get a free estimate for your project, fill out our online form.

Common Foundation Problems, Causes, and Symptoms

1. Foundation settlement
   While the ground beneath your home may seem motionless, it is actually moving. When soil shifts – usually due to moisture or density changes – it causes foundation settling. Many homes experience this problem because the ground beneath them has multiple soil layers with fluctuating densities and moisture levels.The signs of foundation settlement inside your home include drywall cracks appearing around doors and windows, particularly those on upper floors. Also, doors and windows can start sticking in their frames, requiring you to shave an edge down. On your home’s exterior, cracks can appear on the foundation itself.
   
2. Sloping or sagging floors
   Sagging or uneven floors inside your home may also indicate a foundation problem. Potential causes include the columns holding your floor up having too much space between them, the soil beneath those columns settling, or the floor joists/girders rotting.Signs of sagging floors can extend beyond their uneven appearance. For instance, gaps can open between the floor and interior walls. Cracks may also appear around doors as the walls descend. Finally, down in your home’s crawl space, gaps may open between columns and girders, while wood rot appears on the floor joists. 
3. Wall failure
   Depending on the type of foundation your home has, wall failure may manifest in a few ways. But, no matter the symptoms, foundation walls can fail when the soil outside of them applies intense pressure. This increased stress usually stems from expanding clay, frost, or moisture under the ground.
   
   For concrete block foundation, signs of failure include horizontal cracking, stair-step cracking, and pushing in at the wall’s top or bottom. For poured concrete foundation, walls may lean in at the top and cracks in the corners.
   
   In a new home, you may avoid home foundation issues with our recommendations. However, these cannot fix long-term problems, which homeowners may inherit when they purchase a home.

If you’d like American Basement Company Inc to come take a look at your basement foundation issues, fill out our form today! Don’t wait as issues can and do grow from simple fixes to major problems.