Sinking Slab? What Moberly Homeowners Need to Know

A cracked concrete floor is exposed as carpet padding is partially rolled back.

Slab foundations are becoming more common in new construction. According to a recent National Association of Home Builders analysis, 72.4% of new single-family homes started in 2023 were built on slab foundations. In Moberly, slab-on-grade homes are especially prevalent in newer subdivisions and areas where basements aren’t practical due to soil or water table concerns.

While slab foundations offer benefits like lower cost and faster build times, they aren’t immune to problems.

If you’re dealing with a shifting slab foundation in Moberly, you’re in the right place. This page walks you through the warning signs, common causes, prevention tips, and the best foundation repair solutions to protect your home for the long haul.

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How to Spot a Sinking Slab Foundation

Early detection can save you from more expensive repairs later.

Watch for these common problem signs:

Cracks in slab foundation (especially diagonal or stair-step cracks)
Gaps forming near the floor
Doors or windows that stick or won’t close
Sloping or uneven floors
Drywall cracks
Floor cracks

What’s Causing Slab Foundations to Sink in Moberly?

Several local factors play a role in foundation settlement and slab shifting, particularly expansive soils.

Expansive Soils: A Hidden Threat Beneath Your Slab

What’s beneath your home matters, and for slab foundations, the soil is everything.

Unlike basements or crawl spaces, slab-on-grade homes rest directly on a concrete pad poured at or just below ground level.

This means there’s no buffer between the foundation and the earth. Any movement in the soil beneath or around the slab is transferred straight to your home. That’s why soil composition plays such a critical role in the longevity and performance of slab foundations.

In Moberly, the ground is a mix of expansive clay soil and loess—fine, wind-deposited silt that is also prone to erosion and instability.

Clay-rich soil expands significantly when saturated with moisture and shrinks just as dramatically when dry. This constant cycle of swelling and contracting puts stress on your slab, eventually leading to foundation settlement, cracks, and uneven floors.

Missouri’s climate only adds to the challenge. The region sees dramatic temperature swings, frequent rain in spring, and dry spells in summer, all of which accelerate soil movement. During wet seasons, clay soils swell and press up against the underside of your slab. In dry conditions, the soil contracts, leaving voids beneath your home. This creates the perfect storm for a shifting slab foundation in Moberly.

Some neighborhoods in Moberly may be more vulnerable than others. Areas with newer developments, especially on the outskirts of town or near farmland, often have less-compacted soil or fill material that wasn’t stabilized properly. Meanwhile, older parts of the city with loess-heavy soils may experience more gradual erosion, especially if stormwater management systems are outdated.

Other Causes Include:

Hydrostatic Pressure

After heavy rains or snowmelt, water can saturate the soil around and beneath your foundation. This water exerts lateral force, or hydrostatic pressure, on your slab. Over time, this pressure can cause the foundation to shift or crack.

Poor Soil Compaction

New construction homes or additions built on poorly compacted fill soil are especially at risk for early foundation settlement as the soil settles beneath the slab.

How Slab Issues Impact Daily Life

A shifting slab foundation in Moberly affects the structure of your home as well as your everyday comfort, finances, and peace of mind.

Doors that won’t close or stick constantly are frustrating and limit how you use your home.
Floors that slope can be dangerous, especially for young children or elderly residents.
Cracks in slab foundation or walls can create stress over home value or scare off potential buyers.
Ongoing worry about worsening damage can make it hard to feel secure in your own home.

These aren’t just cosmetic problems—they’re signals that something deeper is happening beneath your home.

Solutions for a Sinking Slab

When slab issues appear, professional foundation repair in Moberly, MO, is the best long-term fix.

A certified specialist can recommend one or more of these repair methods:

Foundation Piers

When your slab foundation starts to sink or settle unevenly, foundation piers are one of the most effective and long-lasting solutions available.

Slab piers are specially designed to support and restore concrete slabs affected by shifting or shrinking soil.

The process begins by driving steel piers deep beneath your foundation, past the unstable upper soil layers, until they reach solid, load-bearing strata such as dense soil or bedrock.

Once these piers are securely anchored, hydraulic equipment carefully lifts the slab back to its original position.

Because piers work beneath the slab, this solution is minimally invasive compared to full foundation replacement, and it can be completed more quickly with less disruption to your home.

poly foam machine in process of lifting a concrete slab

Slab Lifting (Polyurethane Foam Injection)

For certain sinking areas, lightweight foam may be a solution. Polyurethane foam is injected beneath the slab to fill voids and gently raise the concrete.

A licensed contractor will assess your specific situation and recommend a solution based on your home’s age, soil conditions, and the extent of damage.

Trust the Experts at Foundation Recovery Systems

For homeowners dealing with foundation settlement or cracks in slab foundations, Foundation Recovery Systems is the local team you can count on. We’ve helped homeowners all across Missouri, including Moberly, stabilize their foundations and restore peace of mind.

We’re proud to offer tailored, permanent solutions backed by strong warranties and decades of experience. Don’t wait for small cracks to become major repairs. Schedule your free foundation inspection with our Moberly team today and protect your home from the ground up.

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Shifting Slab Foundation in Moberly Related Resources

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Leah Leitow

Content Writer

Leah is a Content Writer for Groundworks with nearly ten years of experience working in the foundation repair industry. Her experience ranges from working with homeowners to find the right solution to training inspectors and staff. In her background as a Michigan journalist, she gained invaluable insight into people's lives throughout our state. Leah lives in metro Detroit with her husband and two sons.