Face it, Nebraska is a poster child for experiencing extremes in weather. One day can be a blizzard and the next could be 60 degrees and sunny. We get all four seasons here, sometimes all within a week.
However, have you ever stopped to think about what those fluctuations are doing to your home, or more specifically your home’s foundation? Any home can suffer foundation problems, whether old or new. Some of the main reasons for foundation settlement are:
- Expanding Soil
- Wet Weather
- Ice
- Dry Spells
Below we go into each reason in-depth to give you a better idea of how each could be giving your foundation problems.
Ice
- Ice can cause significant damage to your home’s foundation. When the ground freezes and ultimately melts, it causes the soil to contract which creates instability in the soil. This is referred to as the frost heave cycle. Ice can then freeze beneath the concrete foundation, moving the soil and damaging the foundation.
- The frost heave cycle can cause foundation cracks and cracks in walls. When the ice inevitably melts, the water then has access to seep inside of your house through these cracks.
- To protect your home from melting frost, consider waterproofing your basement. Basement waterproofing can stop water from entering your home by fixing foundation cracks, fixing poor yard drainage and applying an exterior waterproof membrane to prevent water from entering your home.
- Ice dams are another worry during colder weather. When so accumulates on the roof, rising heat from inside your house can cause it to melt. The water runs down the roof until it reaches the eaves, which aren’t kept warm by the inside temperature. This causes the water to refreeze and eventually builds up into a dam of ice.
- Ice dams block water from flowing off of the roof. The water, trying to find anywhere to go, will instead seep into your house, causing wall cracks and rotting walls.
Dry Spells
- During dry weather, moisture is removed and the soil contracts, pulling away from your foundation. This creates a void that allows for foundation settlement.
- Catching foundation settlement early on is important because the damages can become more costly as it worsens. BDB Waterproofing uses a push pier system to repair your foundation, which mechanically transfers the weight of your house to stable, suitable soils under your home.
Wet Weather
- Heavy snow that accumulates next to your home’s foundation can cause flooding. It can also cause the soil to expand, filling the gaps where the soil was once compressed. Any melted snow will put pressure on your home’s basement walls, leading to cracked basement walls and water in the basement.
- To stay protected from a leaky or wet basement, make sure to have basement waterproofing and a sump pump in case of emergency.
- Sump pumps are used to send water away from the home. We offer a sump pump installation using sump pumps that are designed with the basement environment in mind. Consider adding a sump pump battery back-up in case you lose power during a winter storm.
Frost
- Morning frost also may be damaging your home’s foundation. Frost applies pressure to your foundation wall, especially if your basement is unheated. Frost can cause a shallow foundation to lift out of the ground, causing significant damage to your house.
How to Tell If Your Home is Experiencing Foundation Settlement
Your home is an investment, and an important one at that. It’s crucial to know the signs of foundation settlement. Some common signs include:
- Floors start to settle and become uneven.
- Bowed or leaning basement walls.
- Cracks in foundation walls.
- Interior plaster walls/drywall crack.
- Chimney tilts or leans.
- Foundation starts to sink.
- Cracks appear in basement walls.
Why let the problems continue to cause your home and property further damage — damage that will not only cost you more money in repairs but dramatically lower the value of your property? BDB Waterproofing is your foundation repair and wall stabilization solution.
If you think your house may be experiencing foundation settlement, please contact BDB Waterproofing today. We offer a free foundation repair estimate and inspection.
