6 Foundation Repair Mistakes To Avoid
Make sure you repair your foundation right the first time in West Texas — with the help of Childers Brothers, Inc.
Your foundation is one of the most important elements that makes up your home. If your foundation is damaged or settling, the effects can be seen and felt throughout the entire structure of your home. But despite that, homeowners often don’t think much about foundation repair and when it comes time to repair their foundation, often they fall into common mistakes. You can avoid these mistakes by first knowing what common foundation repair mistakes there are.
Missing the Signs
One of the most common foundation repair mistakes is to put off foundation repair simply because homeowners fail to notice that their foundation is in trouble at all. There are obvious signs when you know what to look for, but many don’t. Some of these signs include:
- Cracks in the drywall, ceiling, or floor
- Windows and doors that are jammed shut and no longer fit within their frames
- Sagging floors
- A leaning chimney
- Moisture or poor construction in the crawl space
These issues alone might not make you think immediately of your foundation, especially things like sticking windows and doors. However, issues with door and window frames is often a result of the house rising or sinking due to foundation upheaval or settling. If you notice these issues, foundation repair is certainly worth looking into.
Hesitating to Contact a Foundation Repair Professional
The next fatal mistake when it comes to foundation issues is not contacting a foundation repair professional right away. Some homeowners notice the signs and put it on their list, but they don’t treat foundation repair with the urgency it requires. The truth is if you notice signs such as the above in your home, that means your foundation is already settling or being upheaved. Foundation issues are not likely to stagnate, but rather progressively grow worse until they’re addressed and repaired.
Rushing the Concrete Curing Process
This is a construction issue; and if you notice cracks in the walls, ceiling, or floor soon after the home has been constructed, there’s a chance this is the reason for it. Concrete should be kept moist throughout the curing process so that it doesn’t dry too quickly. If the concrete does dry too quickly, it can become brittle and prone to cracking. However, you want to make sure the concrete isn’t kept too moist. If it holds that moisture through into winter, it could freeze and become brittle that way, as well.
Planting Trees Too Near the Foundation
Homeowners often plant flower beds against the sides of their home to boost their curb appeal. There’s no harm to this, but large plants such as trees can pose a threat to your foundation. Trees have large, expansive roots — roots that crawl underneath your foundation and suck up all the moisture, leaving the foundation’s soil dry and brittle, which can make the foundation unstable. Tree roots are also heavy and could even push the foundation, upheaving it and causing cracks. Even large shrubs can be an issue in this way, so if you plant near the foundation, make sure to keep it small.
Not Maintaining The Correct Moisture Level
It’s important for your foundational soil to have that “just right” level of moisture. If the foundation is too dry, it can contract and shrink, whereas foundational soil that’s too moist will do the opposite. If the foundational soil is constantly changing from too dry to too wet, it can wreak havoc on your foundation. You want to make sure it’s moist and healthy, without being damp and soggy.
Poor Drainage or Lack of Drainage Near the Foundation
The point of a roof gutter system is to keep water from running off the roof and into the foundational soil of the home by funneling it away from the house, towards a downspout. However, if there are no roof gutters or if the roof gutters are damaged, there’s nothing to protect your foundation from water runoff. This can lead to the foundation becoming too damp which, as the point above states, is not ideal and could lead to foundational damage down the line.
The good news is that foundation repair mistakes can be fixed with the help of a professional foundation repair expert. Need to be sure that your home’s foundation is well cared for? Trust Childers Brothers, Inc. Contact us today for more information or a free estimate to get started.