Foundation Settlement Repair
Repairing Settling, Cracked Foundations & Structures
Fixing Damaged Foundations
Issues like stair-step foundation cracks, buckling walls, and sagging floors can be devastating to your home's value and make you feel bad about the way your home looks and feels.
A typical foundation repair usually takes less than a week, and can many times be completed in less than one day.
If you're experiencing bowing or leaning foundation walls, or cracks in brick, masonry, or drywall, your home may need a foundation repair system that will restore property value and give you peace of mind.
Foundation Supportworks has many patented systems that will stabilize your foundation and permanently repair your home's foundation.
Home foundation repair is a serious issue and something that our certified installers work with every day, so you can rest assured that our network of installers can fix your home's foundation problem the first time.
Our network of certified contractors spans North America, so whether you are in need of foundation repair in Portland, Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, Knoxville, Philadelphia, Boston, ar anywhere else from coast to coast, we can provide you with a FREE inspection of your property and find a solution that works for you.
All of our systems come with a warranty to the homeowner so that you know the problem was fixed right and you can have peace of mind for years to come.
Foundation Settlement Damage: How It Happens
Your home is resting on several different layers of soil -- each with its own thickness, density, and load-bearing characteristics. Some of these soils have been in place for thousands of years or more -- placed there by wind, water, or glaciers. Others were put in place by contractors as your home was built to create a level surface for your foundation to rest on.
Settlement occurs when the soils under your foundation cannot support the weight of the home. This happens in three different ways:
Drying & Shrinking Soils
Foundation soils usually dry and shrink in two scenarios:
Drought: During prolonged dry periods, the soils around your home may begin to dry out. As clay soils dry out, they will shrink considerably. When this happens under a foundation, it's the same as the soil settling. Your foundation will settle downwards as it does so, possibly leading to structural damage.
Maturing Trees: A mature tree's root system can be up to twice the size of its visible part. If the trees extend over your home, that's a good sign that they're under your house as well. As they draw up hundreds of gallons of water each day, the soils will shrink significantly.
Wetting And Softening Of Soil
Foundation soils usually wet and soften in three scenarios:
Heavy Rain & Flooding: When clay soils contact water, they hold on to it and become very soft. This soft soils is not good load-bearing soil, and heavy objects will sink down into it.
Poor Drainage: If water is allowed to "pond" next to the home due to poor soil grading, clogged gutters, or some other factor, the soils will absorb the water. If the soils around the home are clay, then they will soften, and the home may sink.
Plumbing Leaks & Broken Water Lines: Plumbing leaks under or around a home can also saturate the soils around a home, and potentially weaken their load-bearing capacity.
Poorly Compacted Fill Soil
To make a level surface where your foundation can be built, builders will sometimes bring in loose soil from another location, using it to fill in hollow or depressed areas.
This recently excavated "fill" soil is fluffed, and will be much looser and lighter than the dense, hard-packed virgin soils already present.
To compensate, the builder will need to compact the fill soil thoroughly before placing a foundation on top. If this compaction is not done, or is improperly done, then the weight of your home may cause the soil to compress, leading to foundation settlement issues.
How Foundation Settlement Damages Your Home
When a foundation settles, sections of the structure will shift unevenly, causing cracks to form. Over time, the broken sections of the foundation will begin to drift, or "rotate", causing the cracks to widen and become uneven.
A foundation that shows significant settlement damage may have tilting chimneys, jamming doors, windows that do not open or close, and leaking through the openings. Pests may also find their way through the cracks, leading to infestations in the home.
On the inside of the home, the warping caused by the shifting will crack drywall, stucco, and other finishing elements. The damage will never stop -- and will worsen over time.
We Fix Foundation Settlement Problems!
Regardless of why you're experiencing a foundation problem in your home, your local Foundation Supportworks representative can conduct a thorough inspection of your home.
We'll let you know what steps need to be taken to permanently stabilize your foundation and restore value to your investment. Contact us by phone or e-mail today to schedule a FREE foundation repair evaluation!
