Foundation Soils

The only thing more important to the stability of your home than its foundation is the ground upon which it’s built. This soil must be stable in order to support the weight of your home and its contents for decades to come. Unfortunately, it is all too common for foundation soils to become unstable over time for a variety of reasons.

For instance, red clay can absorb lots of water and expand during wet weather and can shrink during times of drought. This expansion and shrinkage can cause serious foundation issues. The fill soil that results when a developer levels a neighborhood in preparation for building can sometimes be poorly compacted. This too can result in foundation settling and other issues.

In fact, entire neighborhoods have had their foundations repaired because they were built on poor soil. That means, even if you haven’t had foundation problems yet, you may still experience them sometime in the future. So, if you think your home may be built on poor foundation soils — or if you have neighbors who have had issues — it may be time to have an expert visit your home and determine if it needs to be protected against future foundation failure.

Further information on foundation soils can be found on the following pages:

• What Causes Foundation Problems 
• Foundation Drainage Problems 
• Hydrostatic Pressure 
• Expansive Soils 
• Trees and Tree Roots