Related Sponsors

Site Factors that Result in Foundation Repairs

Home » Home Improvement » Foundation Repair » Site Factors that Result in Foundation Repairs

If you did your inspection and evaluation you may have noticed many factors that could have contributed to your foundation's damage. These factors may involve the following:

• Soils: The soil around the foundation may be too moist or weak. If the sand is too loose it can cause the slab to weaken and sink or move slightly. Also check in the area around the foundation for sink holes, or any kind of hint that the ground was not solid but was planted there only a short time ago.
• Surrounding land: If you look at the surrounding land around your house, you may find some weakness close to where the foundation is located. Perhaps the area was originally a swamp land and was just filled in. This can cause the sand to shift and therefore weaken the area where the concrete was placed. You may even see root damage along trees. This shows a continuous flow of water went across the land at one point. If this is so, perhaps either the area was a swamp land, or a little brook went through there at one time and was stopped up to build homes on it. All these factors can cause the foundation around the house to weaken and shift the concrete around.
• Poor drainage: Another cause of foundation problems can be poor drainage. If the water that accumulates after a rainstorm or when using sprinkler does not have anyway of draining off, the water could become stagnate and eventually seep into the soil, causing the soil to become wet and soggy. If the soil stays wet and the temperature drops pretty far at night, that wet soil can harden and put pressure against the concrete, eventually forcing it to give in and crack or shift.

Next Page: How to Do Most Common Foundation Repairs

Related Foundation Repair Articles