Archive for Foundation Repair

Make Sure Your Home has a Strong Foundation For Your Safety and the Longevity of Your House!

If the foundation of your home needs work, consult with a contractor immediately to avoid expensive secondary issues and maintain the value you have invested in your home.  A foundation repair contractor can help to identify what work needs to be done on your home, estimate the monetary and time costs, and get the job done.

A foundation is the lowest support structure for your home and what the house is build up on.  If your home does not have a strong foundation and there are foundation repairs needed, the work to repair or rebuild should be done as soon as possible.  Delaying foundation repairs can lead to costly issues like cracked walls or a wet basement.  Long-term foundation deterioration can even lead to the eventual collapse of your foundation—and your home!

So if you have any concerns about the integrity of your home’s foundation, you should consult with a home foundation repair contractor in your area.  Even a well-built home that passed inspections before purchase can develop foundation cracks over time. These cracks are easiest to deal with when they are small and foundation contractors are the specialists for the job.  Your local foundation repair contractor should be able to offer a free estimate and description of any work your home needs to remain or become structurally sound.

Once your local foundation contractors have assessed any foundation work you might need, be sure to discuss basement waterproofing with them to keep your home safe and mold free.  If your basement does not have any windows or natural light, you may also consider discussing the possibility if installing egress windows. Egress windows not only help to provide light to a dark basement, they are an important safety measure that create an escape route for emergencies.

By being proactive in seeking out foundation repair and basement waterproofing, you can prevent expensive home repairs from plaguing your future, consult with a foundation repair contractor today.

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Foundation Repair Keeps Your Whole Home Sound: Don’t Let Settling or Cracking Compromise Your House!

Foundation problems can cause issues for your entire house. Address settling and cracking before they spell trouble for the rest of your home!

Your foundation is the footing on which the rest of your home sits—so when it has problems, so does the rest of your house! Over time, soil settlement, heavy rains, or other ground movement issues can create problems for even well-designed foundations. Cracking, crumbling, and settling in your foundation causes structural instability and spells serious trouble for your home. If not resolved efficiently and effectively, foundation failure can trigger building collapse! Contact your local foundation contractors if you’re concerned your foundation may be compromised.

Indications of foundation settling, cracking, and bowing can crop up inside and outside your home. A few common signs to watch for can include:

  • Bowing, bulging or leaning foundation walls
  • Stair step cracks in masonry
  • Basement leaks, water stains, and musty smells
  • Sticking windows and doors
  • Cracking brick veneer, masonry, or walls
  • Tilting, leaning, or collapsing chimneys

If your basement, foundation, or home is demonstrating any of these symptoms, you need to have your house assessed by a professional ASAP. Sadly, your foundation will continue to deteriorate until repairs are implemented, so don’t wait to seek help.

Depending on your problems, foundation repair can take a variety of different forms. Listed below are a few of the most common:

Foundation Crack Repair: When your foundation has visible cracks, it creates an opening for water to seep in—encouraging mold growth and creating the potential for even more damage through freezing and expansion. Foundation crack repair is actually quite straightforward: your contractors will use an epoxy filler to seal up the crack, preventing the crack from expanding as well as keeping water out.

Foundation Jack Wall Repair: If the walls of your foundation bowed, crumbling, or cracking, they’re no longer able to support the full weight of your home, creating a major stability problem. Using jacks and reinforcing beams, both poured and cement block walls with displacement issues can be realigned and correct. By leaving support beams in place even after your walls are straightened, your foundation is fortified for extra support and to prevent this issue from reoccurring.

Foundation Piering: For vertical foundation settlement problems, the answer is generally piering. Using underground supports, your foundation contractors can actually lift your foundation back to its original position, and keep it there! Pressure piering and helical piering are used for soil situations, so depending on the composition of your property, one may be more appropriate than then other. Your foundation repair contractors will create a customized plan to safely and effectively lift and support your foundation to resolve your settling issues.

Basement Waterproofing: Water is bad news for your foundation. From musty smells and mold growth to freezing-based expansion and contraction, water in your basement can lead to serious foundation problems. Basement waterproofing solutions can help resolve these problems before they develop, draining the water away from your foundation before it enters your home.

Regardless of the nature, cause, or severity of your foundation problems, it’s important to have them evaluated and repaired by a foundation and basement repair professional. They’ll be able to assess the issue as well as recommend specific repair strategies to get your home safe and sound once again. Call your area foundation repair specialists today!

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Stop Mold in its Tracks: Basement Waterproofing Helps Keep Your Home Safe from Mold

Water or moisture in your basement is bad news for the structural integrity of your home as well as your family’s health. While it may only seem like a cosmetic issue, moisture in your basement can foster mold growth (a major health hazard), create insect and vermin problems, and weaken your foundation. That’s why it’s important to have your foundation repaired and waterproofed ASAP. Not only will you help reinforce the foundation and prevent structural damage, it will also help you eliminate your mold problems. Contact your local basement waterproofing specialist today to get started on the road to a sounder, healthier home.

It’s crucial to get your basement dry because persistent moisture means one thing: mold and mildew. Mold can cause dangerous health issues, including respiratory problems, asthma, allergic reactions, skin rashes, and more. By controlling the humidity and moisture in your basement, your basement waterproofing and mold remediation specialists can help you eliminate mold.

At first, you may not realize you even have a moisture problem in your home. Indications of water in your basement are varied and diverse, and some are more obvious than others. These signs include:

  • Peeling paint
  • Musty odor
  • Visible rust on metal
  • Efflorescence (chalky white powder on walls)
  • Condensation on walls or floor
  • Wet spots
  • Cracked walls
  • Standing water
  • Water running down walls
  • Visible mold

The causes of moisture in your basement can be as diverse as the symptoms. Ranging from excessive humidity to hydrostatic pressure to foundation cracks, the source of your water problems can be difficult to determine. That’s why we recommend consulting professional foundation contractors. These experts have the knowledge and skills to locate and identify the root causes of your wet basement issues, enabling you to eliminate the source as well as the symptom.

Don’t wait to call your basement contractors. The sooner your implement your foundation repair, the sooner your basement will be dry and mold free. With the health and happiness of your family on the line, you can’t afford to wait any longer!

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Foundation Problems Should Not Be Ignored: Foundation Repair Is Crucial to Your Home’s Long-Term Health

Your foundation is the support system for your entire house, so if it fails your home could literally come tumbling down! If your home has developed foundation cracks, signs of settling, or other indications that your foundation may no longer be entirely sound, it’s important to call your basement contractor today. Professional foundation contractors can evaluate your home for signs of damage and take the proper steps to ensure your foundation is sturdy enough to support your home for years to come.

Signs of foundation problems frequently manifest themselves throughout your home, not just in the basement itself. So if you’re concerned about foundation shifting or settling, check for:

  • Drywall cracks
  • Sticking doors or windows
  • Gaps between walls and ceilings/floors
  • Nails coming out of drywall
  • Windows out of square
  • Floor cracks
  • Sloping or unlevel flooring
  • Cracks in foundation

Exterior indications may include:

  • Masonry cracks
  • Gaps between bricks and doors/windows/garage doors
  • Gaps between chimney and house
  • Sagging roof line

These symptoms are all warnings that your foundation is facing major problems, from settling to bowing and wall cracks. These issues can be caused by poor site drainage, soil upheaval, construction on non-compacted fill, major plumbing leaks, and poor foundation construction (relative to site conditions). If you notice ANY of these signs, call a foundation repair specialist immediately. It’s important to get your foundation on the road to recovery ASAP. The good news is that the professionals will repair your foundation, ensuring your home is adequately supported.

There are a wide variety of solutions for foundation problems, each tailored to suit the particular condition and causes of your home’s issues. Home foundation repair can include:

  • Wall stabilization: When your foundation fails to stand up to the pressure exerted on its exterior walls, it can crack, bow, crumble, and shift. Wall stabilization reinforces and supports stressed foundation walls, strengthening them and preventing further damage. Ideal for all types of foundations (including poured concrete, cinder block, brick, and clay tile), we recommend a carbon fiber stabilizer applied to your foundation walls with high-tech polymers. With wall stabilizers in place, your foundation will be fortified enough to resist hydrostatic and soil pressure for long-term strength and support.
  • Piering: If your home is deteriorating due to settling, piering is the solution to stabilize your foundation and halt the further progression of damage. This system actually combats settling by supporting and lifting your foundation. In fact, masonry and brickwork cracks can frequently be closed, effectively undoing the damage! Using helical piers, piles, and anchors to secure and raise settled portions of your foundation, your pier system is custom designed with your home’s needs in mind–ensuring that once installed, your home will be safe from additional settling.
  • Foundation crack repair: Foundation crack repair is available in two effective solutions. One option is to simply fill the crack with a polyurethane sealant. The other is to use a hydrophobic membrane to cover and waterproof the area. Most homeowners pair both solutions for total foundation and moisture protection.
  • Basement waterproofing: If your foundation problems are being caused by poor drainage, we recommend a basement waterproofing system. Because moisture can exacerbate cracks, pressure, and other issues, it’s best to ensure that water is not leaking into your basement. While waterproofing won’t fix existing damage, in tandem with foundation repair it can help your home avoid future problems.

Don’t wait if your foundation is settling or cracking. Foundation problems will only get worse, not better, and as time progresses, they will continue to decrease your property value and increase instability. Your foundation contractors are here to help, so contact them today to learn more about solutions for foundation repair.

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