Problem Signs
Your house could be under an incredible amount of pressure. Your home has a big job to do and many responsibilities to fill. It must be a safe place for you and your family, and you need to make sure its structural integrity and health are maintained. However, many more things could be happening below the surface than you realize.
Foundation Recovery Systems
Nail Pops
Nail pops happen when the head of a drywall screw or nail literally “pops” through the wall and paint
Foundation Recovery Systems
Cracked Bricks
Cracked masonry and brickwork can be a sign that your house is shifting or that its foundation is unstable.
Foundation Recovery Systems
Bowing Walls
Few problems are quite as severe as bowed walls. This is a situation that only gets worse over time, so it’s important to address it now.
Foundation Recovery Systems
Uneven Floors
Uneven floors aren’t just an eyesore; they can indicate a more serious problem lurking below and result in long-term complications. Find out what causes them.
Causes
It is important to know what’s supporting your home an the health of your foundation. If you see cracks in the walls and think they could be moving or tilting inward, you need to act.
Excavated soil that is replaced around a completed foundation isn’t as dense and tightly packed as undisturbed soil farther away. As a result, water collects in the soil immediately surrounding the house, putting pressure on foundation walls and causing cracks.
A sizeable hole was dug in the ground when your home was built. The foundation was then poured, which left a gap between the foundation walls and the existing earth. This gap was filled with soil that was removed and “fluffed up.” This soil is looser, more aerated than the surrounding soil, which may have been compressing for hundreds of years. Thus, the looser soil tends to absorb more water than the compacted soil. More water against the walls leads to hydrostatic pressure. (Source: Bob Vila)
As the soil around your foundation becomes soaked with moisture, it expands and puts pressure on your foundation. Hydrostatic pressure is the constant force of water pressure on the foundation walls. When this force becomes more than the walls can handle, the walls will begin to crack and bow inwards. This affects the structural integrity of the walls and results in the need for foundation repair.
This also presents another problem with water intrusion. Water can work its way through any opening available, including cracks. Water sitting behind foundation walls will find and fill invisible openings in the surface of the porous concrete it touches. This contributes to capillary action, creating a series of tiny veins that will seep on the other side. (Source: JES Foundation Repair) Clogged or above-ground exterior drainage pipes could allow water to puddle next to the home and find its way inside any crack or gap in porous block foundation walls.
Chimneys sometimes have a missing or inadequate chimney footing. When this occurs, your chimney has not been designed with the proper structural support, and it will fail over time. Chimneys experience tilting problems most commonly when the structure has been built on poor supporting soils. If the soils supporting your chimney are not sufficient to hold its weight, the chimney may begin to sink, causing it to separate from the rest of the home and tilt outward.
Solutions
The return on investment from foundation repair is estimated to be around 30 percent. But the health and structural benefits, not to mention peace of mind, are priceless.
Foundation Recovery Systems
Wall Anchors
Structural instability is no joke. If you see bulging, bowing, or extensive cracks in your basement walls, wall anchors could keep your house on its feet.
Foundation Recovery Systems
Helical Piers
Foundation instability is a huge problem with few viable solutions. Helical piers make keeping your home stable and level a little easier.
Foundation Recovery Systems
Push Piers
The primary advantage of a push pier system is that it stabilizes your home’s foundation permanently and may even be able to lift it back to its original position.
Foundation Recovery Systems
Carbon Fiber Wall Repair
If your home is beginning to buckle, specialized wall reinforcing systems can prevent serious structural instabilities from forming. Carbon fiber is a high-tech woven material that is initially flexible but becomes extremely strong and rigid once infused with an epoxy resin, and it can hold your walls in place.
FAQs
If you see any kind of cracks or movement in your foundation walls, you need to act now! The longer you put these issues out of your mind or on the back burner, the more costly the foundation repair projects will be in the long run. You’re also endangering your safety and the safety of your loved ones.
Your home – whether it is in St. Louis, Kansas City, or the surrounding area – is a significant investment, and it is important to ensure its health and safety today and for the future. A problematic foundation also affects the value of and ability to sell a home.
The return on investment from basement repair is estimated to be around 30 percent. But the health and structural benefits, not to mention peace of mind, are priceless.
Various factors impact your home’s appraisal value, but structural integrity, water issues, and other problems are important areas you need to be aware of. When selling your house, it is important to disclose any past or current damage. While you are not required by the state of Missouri to reveal damaging defects about your property beyond certain criminal histories, it does set clear expectations regarding the quality and condition of the home, as well as any previous or needed foundation repair. (Source: Nolo)
We understand that foundation repair can be a daunting undertaking. Because the issues worsen over time, it can seem easier to simply leave them alone and wait. But that is not a safe or smart approach. Here are some pieces of bad advice we’ve heard that homeowners should not follow about their foundation issues.
- “Continue to monitor the crack until something changes.” If you just wait it out, then the foundation could shift and change the type of solution needed to fix it. This can result in a more costly foundation repair project.
- “All the settlement already happened.” Settlement happens when the soil beneath the home can no longer uphold the structure. This means settlement will continue to happen as the weight pushes down on pockets of compromised soil.
- “Out of sight, out of mind.” Just like every problem, it still exists even if you don’t see it. A cracked or bowing foundation will continue shifting even if it’s covered up. This also means that foundation issues can be hiding behind things like drywall and furniture.
- “Just put another wall in front of the bowing wall.” This is not a permanent foundation repair solution. The original wall simply will continue shifting and potentially push on the new wall as well. A new wall in front also will not support the rest of the home’s foundation.
- “Brace it with wood.” Nailing boards to a wall will not prevent it from shifting further. Wood is not strong enough to uphold the weight of a foundation. Similarly, using wooden beams or metal pipes placed at 45-degree angles also are not strong enough, and they are extremely space-intrusive.
If you live in St. Louis, Kansas City, or the surrounding areas, contact us! We will be happy to schedule an appointment for you with one of our highly trained foundation repair inspectors. Inspections are free and no obligation to you, and our specialist will complete a thorough evaluation of your home. We also are proud to work with realtors, commercial property owners, and other various affiliates.
If you are concerned with foundation repair needs and insurance coverage, be sure to check with your insurance carrier, as all policies are different.
Here are some helpful tips for selecting a reputable contractor, courtesy of Today’s Homeowner. We are proud to meet and exceed expectations on these points:
- No Contract Labor: Make sure the people performing the repairs work for the company.
- Financial Commitment: Does the contractor own or rent his equipment?
- Supervisors on Site: Is the company large enough to provide full time supervision, or will the crew be dropped off at your home to do the work?
- References: Make sure references are not hand-picked.
- Warranties: Warranties are only as good as the company that offers them. A reputable company who has been in business for at least 25 years should be your best bet.
- Insurance: Ask for current insurance certificates.
- A thorough evaluation of the home’s interior and exterior. This includes looking for sources of water such as cracks or even plumbing sources.
- Discussing your goals with a repair project.
- A same-day proposal of recommended repair solutions.
- Customized solutions uniquely designed to meet your foundation repair needs.
- Discussing payment and financing options.
Our patented, top-quality foundation repair solutions are tested and proven to work to keep give you a safer and stable living environment.
Cheaper, quick fixes like light-duty beams and posts are only temporary bandages that will not address or tackle the root of the problem.
So, don’t waste your time and money on fast fixes. Your home in Kansas City, St. Louis, or the surrounding area, needs our quality permanent solutions. We use reliable, custom equipment and state-of-the-art technology to install these various foundation repair systems.
While we can’t control the weather or the soil outside your home, we can control what’s inside your house and supporting the rest of the structure.
Engineered to withstand the toughest forces, our dependable wall reinforcement and piering systems are made with galvanized steel to prevent rust, corrosion and damage, offering you a strong and permanent solution.
Every home is unique, and each project calls for different foundation repair solutions. We can customize solutions specific to your repair needs. Your inspector will take into consideration your repair goals, the severity of damage or problem areas, square footage, and your budget. It’s not just a “one size fits all” fix. So, what works for your neighbor down the street may not necessarily be what your home needs.
Contacting us for an expert opinion is your best bet. We will not try to throw bandages on the problems, push you to buy “everything but the kitchen sink,” or offer sub-standard quick fixes.
Here are some telltale signs of basement problems that are not mended by a do it yourself fix. You should instead seek reliable advice if you notice:
- Any kinds of cracks on the basement walls and/or floor
- Bulging foundation walls
- Sagging or uneven floors
Along with top-notch solutions installed by a reliable team when you choose to work with us, what you are really paying for is peace of mind and a safer home.
Not only will this benefit you during the time you live in the house, but it will have a lasting impact for the future resale of the house. You are investing in the health and wellness of the structure.
When having your home inspected for real estate transactions, even partial fixes or temporary bandages could raise a red flag along with water or structural damage. You’ll have to spend more time and money trying to address the issues, so why not make an educated decision and sound investment with us and our trustworthy foundation repair solutions?
