Why Your Foundation Could Be Shifting Right Now

This drought is causing home's foundations to shift at an alarming rate in this area. 

In case you haven't noticed, it's been one of the driest years in recent memory. To that statement, people with dry basements cheer. On the other side of that statement, people with sinking foundations weep. For those weeping, know it's okay. We are here to help explain.

You see when the soil is as dry as it has been, the soil contracts and actually pulls away from your foundation. When this happens, it can cause your foundation to shift, something that should not happen. This is even more true for areas around Southwest Ohio, where clay soil is most commonly found. Clay dries very easily and is the most susceptible to shrinking, and is the biggest culprit on the list. To those who have read our Book, "Foundation Repair Science" you would understand that there a multitude of possible other reasons why your soil can shift as well. 

• Sometimes, even a strong tree can grow roots under your foundation.
• There's also cases when it rains too much, the soil can absorb too much water and it becomes muddy and weak, (although not as severe compared to brittle and dry soil).
• Some reasons are because the builders were not considerate enough by not doing things like:

1. Building your footers deep enough to code, (3 feet).
2. Backfilling soil around your foundation not compactly enough.
3. Placing the home on a not so sturdy hillside.

When your foundation shifts, it can cause wall failure and sagging floors. The quicker you can call us to have a professional come give advice, the more money you could potentially save in the long run, because if a wall or floor is too far gone, it may require more extensive repair work than if you had caught it earlier. Be on the lookout for cracks in your wall like the image shown below, which could be a sign of potential devastation. 

Something you can do to potentially save your home from sinking in this drought is to water your foundation. Either run your hose around the outside of your foundation every couple of days, or set up an automatic sprinkler system to run. The recommended amount of time to spend watering is a light fifteen minutes. You only want the soil to absorb the water, not soak in it. Watering your foundation can help make sure the clay surrounding your home doesn't shrink too far. If you are going to do this, you need to make sure you either have a waterproofing system, or make sure there are no vulnerable cracks in your foundation walls or floors for water to seep in. This is especially true if you have a finished basement without a waterproofing system.

Foundation repairs are very specific to each home and require specific tailoring and monitoring. To learn more about the signs & causes of foundation settlement, you can click this link: https://www.basementdoctorcincy.com/about-us/technical-papers/49622-signs-of-foundation-settlement-associated-problems.html

To learn how we fix sinking foundations, you can click this link: https://www.basementdoctorcincy.com/about-us/technical-papers/49623-how-we-fix-sinking-foundations-using-steel-piers-why-they-are-the-best-option.html