What is Wrong With Your Foundation and How To Repair It
Out of all of the structural and hydraulic issues that can occur in a home, a majority of them can be attributed to foundation problems.
A major issue that we commonly see is leaning or bowing walls. When a foundation wall is sloped, it can be an incredible cause for concern among Virginia homeowners. Their appearance can lead you to think that they will need to be completely replaced, but the repair of bowing block walls is possible and will leave you with a stronger wall than you had before.
Leaning walls in older Virginia homes can be quite common because walls that were built in the 20th
century were not designed to support the weight of the structure above them for long periods of time. Fortunately, this damage can be reversed with the right tools and equipment with our very skillful team of professionals here at Reliable Waterproofing & Masonry.
There are various forces that can work together to cause a bowing block wall and other foundation problems. Water and soil pressure from below combined with the structure weight from above can put pressure on the wall that is more than it can bear. This causes it to bend, crack, and eventually fail. In the earlier stages, bowing walls can be hard to identify. The damage can sometimes hardly be noticed, but there are a few things you should look out for. When doors, cabinets, and windows aren’t shutting properly, it can be an indicator that your foundation walls are losing strength. Some other symptoms to look out for include misaligned doors and windows, separating molding or trim, leaky walls, and garage column cracks.
Other foundation problems that you may have see is wall, floor, and ceiling cracks. Although small and seemingly insignificant cracks may not look like a big deal, they usually mean that something is wrong with your foundation. Cracks that are bigger than even the width of a dime can indicate that your foundation is failing, or that your home is not sufficiently waterproofed.
A failing foundation can also cause sloped and uneven floors. Due to the intense changes of climate that Virginia can experience, the soil underneath your house often fluctuates and can cause the foundation to move as well. When the foundation moves, this can cause the floors that it holds to sink or rise.
Don’t Wait On Foundation Problems for Your Virginia Home
Foundation problems do not fix themselves, and deterioration can quickly come if early warnings are not heeded. It is important to strictly and regularly monitor any suspicious cracks, and get your foundation inspected by a professional as soon as you can.
The best thing to do to prevent further damage is to get your foundation problems repaired and your basement waterproofed as soon as possible. For foundation repair in Virginia, products such as steel piers, tieback anchors, and hydraulic lift slab piers can be used. For waterproofing, consider a sump pump or an interior or exterior drainage system. These products will help to get the water away from your foundation and prevent destruction, while maintaining its strength for years to come. Call Reliable for assistance with all your foundation repair needs in Virginia!