The point of a foundation is to provide stability to the structure. The weight of the house sits on the foundation, which sits on the ground.

There are a number of different kinds of foundations. Most of them extend below the ground, and the large the building, usually, the deeper the foundation reaches. Slab Foundations are rather common, and mostly consist of a hole the size of the house dug directly below the house and filled with concrete (this is of course, a very simple explanation, there is more to it, but that is the basic idea.)

There are a number of dangers to a foundation, but the two most common are shifting soil and uneven support. Underground rivers can move the soil under your building, which then will put stress on the foundation. Another common damaging factor is the amount of water in the soil. In areas where there is regular, heavy rainfall, followed by a dry season (like, for instance, much of the southwestern USA) the soil tends to be a little unpredictable. Moisture seeping into the soil will cause it to expand, and moisture leaving will cause contraction.

When soil freezes and thaws it also tends to expand and contract. The removal of deep soil will affect the freezing and of this soil, in come cases, so there are often freezing units put into the foundations of such large buildings in areas where it's cold almost year round.

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On this page we have listed all of our articles and information about everything related to house and your home repair.

Stone foundations crack for several reasons

Stone foundations are not used very much in the construction of homes or buildings today. However, there are several old homes and buildings were these structures still existent.

About injection waterproofing

Injection waterproofing is made from a lightweight polyurethane compound that expands to twice its original size as it dries. There are several non-toxic, environmentally safe products available at many nationwide home improvement stores.

About damproofing and waterproofing

Waterproofing is a process that protects your property from cracks caused by water damage, thermal movement, shrinking, settlement, and other causes. It is a fact that approximately 44% of new homes have leaking basements within 3 years of their completion. In addition, in the United States and Canada basements are only warranted for 1 or 2 years against leakage.

Foundation repair cost

Foundation repair is both a major inconvenient and expense. Before you settle with one contractor, make sure you acquire several quotes, including a total estimate including time, materials, and labor. In addition, you want to verify the contractors references before you agree to use one contractor over the others, remember that cheep is not always the way to go.

Two types of concrete foundations

For years, builders used concrete blocks because of their visual appeal and strength however, over time there may be degradation of concrete. For this reason, poured concrete has become the common practice for laying foundations.

What to do when hiring a contractor

After you contact a contractor, the first thing he or she should do, is visit your home and examine the extent of damage to your foundations. The estimate they present you should be based on their inspection. Most contractors do not charge for estimates. You should acquire at least three estimates.

Water is the major cause of foundation problems

Usually cracks that are caused by water seepage are most often seen in the corners of the foundation walls, or at the joints where bricks, stones, or concrete slabs are joined. When ground water has enough pressure that it seeps through the foundation, it creates cracks. Over time, these tiny hairline cracks will widen.

About foundations and the frostline

In geological terms, the frost-line is the lowest point at which soil freezes during the winter. (often around between 5 and 8 feet or 1 and a half to 2 and a half meters.)

Concrete history

Concrete is something that most of us take for granted today, but where did it really come from? Thousands of years ago, a kind of concrete was used by every major civilization.

Causes of foundation sinking

After a foundation is laid, a number of things can change. Foundation settlement is caused by the soil itself, expanding, or compacting. Another common reason for foundation shifting is poor maintenance.

Signs that your foundation is about to fail

Some of the physical signs of foundation stress are things like floors that are suddenly uneven, pictures beginning to hang askew where they used to hang straight

Fixing sunken concrete foundations

With the first buildings with foundations of concrete, came the first instances of foundation distress, and the first attempts to repair.

Piling or piering to fix sunken concrete foundations

Piering is a foundation repair method (or a method of actually making a permanent foundations) that utilizes steel pilings and hydraulic jacks

Mudjacking to fix sunken concrete foundations

Slabjacking (or mudjacking) is a slab or pavement repair process that involves lifting a slab that is sinking into unstable soil

Which method of foundation repair to use

In order to efficiently repair a damaged foundation, first you need to know what's causing the damage. You can't get a prescription if you don't know the cause of the illness. Look for different signs of distress, know whether it's vertical stress or lateral, if it's due to erosion, water, or instability in the soil.

Hiring a foundation repair contractor

If you decide to hire a contractor for foundation repair here are a few things to expect

Foundation basics

There are two major types of foundations used today, so lets go through them. First, is the slab-on-grade foundation. As it sounds, a simple concrete slab is poured beneath the structure to give it a good sturdy base.

Maintaining your foundation

If you live in an area that's prone to wet winters and very dry summers, your foundation may be in danger. When the moisture content of the soil changes, the consistency of the soil, it's density changes. This can cause problems to some types of foundation. The best way to protect against this is to water the soil around the foundation during the dry season to keep the water content more constant.

Soil conditions and foundation

There are very few areas where the soil doesn't change depending on time of year, climate, or other variables.

Overview of soil types

Clay soil, or Expansive Clay, is rather reactive as soil goes. It expands when wet and contracts when dry. This type of soil can deal a heavy blow year after year to shallow foundations, as the active zone in this type of soil is near the surface.

Making foundation repairs last

When your foundation is damaged, the damage needs to be repaired, or it will get worse. Doesn't it stand to reason, then, that after it is repaired, it will come back?

Other maintenance issues

Surface water and plant life can be risks to your foundation. You should make sure that even during the wet season, no water is allowed to pool within around 5 or 6 feet of your structure.