Answering A Few Questions Concerning Foundation Damage
When your house's foundation suffers damage, it is important for you to be familiar with this particular type of issue. Unfortunately, there are many individuals that may not have a thorough understanding about this part of their homes. As a result, they can find that making informed decisions about this topic is more difficult than it would otherwise need to be. If you learn the answers to the following basic foundation damage questions, you will find yourself better suited to address foundational issues if your home is unfortunate enough to encounter them.
How Can Foundation Damage Be Confirmed?
Cracking and windows or doors that do not properly close can be warning signs that your home may have foundation damage. However, this type of problem can only be confirmed by excavating the soil around the base of the house to inspect the foundation for visible signs of damage. For this reason, you will want to have the foundation professionally inspected if you start to notice these issues with your home.
What Causes The Foundation To Become Damaged?
The tremendous weight of your home can alter the soil under it. Over the course of time, this can result in the soil compacting or shifting position in a way that causes it to pull away from the foundation in some areas. Additionally, it is possible for this damage to occur as a result of the erosion of the soil under the home.
How Does Underpinning Prevent Damage From Worsening?
When the soil under the foundation has eroded or pulled away from the structure, it is essential to structurally reinforce the foundation. To this end, underpinning can be an excellent option because it uses a series of strong support beams to help support the weight of the structure. These beams are anchored into the ground, and they will help to ensure that the weight of the house is evenly distributed. In order to install these supports, holes will need to be drilled into the ground around the home so that the beams can be inserted under the foundation.
Addressing some of the more common sources of foundation damage can be a stressful experience for homeowners that are inexperienced with these issues. For those that have recently purchased a home, it is important to understand the steps for confirming the presence of foundation damage, the causes of this damage, and the benefit of using underpinning to help provide the support that the foundation requires. Being knowledgeable about these topics will help you to make better decisions when you start to suspect that your home is experiencing this type of problem.
For more information, contact a professional in your area or visit a website like http://www.tluckey.com.