When problems with your foundation begin to cause damage to your home, you want to address them before they get worse. The problems with foundations often start with water issues and settling. This can cause structural damage that gets worse over time. The following residential foundation repairs will help you deal with these issues before the structural damage gets worse:

Drainage and Waterproofing Failure

The first problems to look for with your foundation are issues with drainage and waterproofing. This should start with inspecting the drainage around your home and for the foundation. Sometimes, poor drainage can lead to excess groundwater draining against the foundation. This results in static pressure that causes the waterproofing to fail and potentially crack. These problems can be repaired with simple drainage improvements and waterproofing repairs if they are caught before they cause severe structural issues.

Cracking Causing Structural Weaknesses

There may also be issues with cracking, which can cause structural weaknesses. The structural weakness can lead to other damage in your homes, such as cracked drywall and out-of-square (crooked) openings. These problems may require specialized wall bracing to correct the damage and provide structural strength for foundation walls. After the bracing is installed, other repairs to waterproofing and cracks can be completed. You may want to ask about other options to relieve the pressure against the foundation walls to prevent cracking and structural damage.

Settling Problems Causing Structural Damage

Sometimes, the soil that supports your foundation may be too soft. This leads to settling in areas where there is not enough soil compaction or where there is not any bedrock to support footings. As the foundation begins to settle and sink into the soft soils, it can lead to severe problems with structural damage. These issues are usually repaired by using jacking techniques and installing pier support systems for the foundation.

Soil Movement Causing Foundation Damage

The soils around your home can also cause other problems. Sometimes, the issues are due to movements that affect your foundation. This causes structural damage when the footing beams separate with soil movement. The foundation movement needs to be corrected, and then the footing beams need to be tied back together to solve these problems. In addition to the foundation repairs, you may need to do soil stabilization improvements to the landscaping and install retaining wall systems to prevent these issues.

These are some of the foundation repairs your home may need when there are structural problems. Contact a residential foundation repair service for more information. 

Share