Wondering how to avoid foundation problems? Want to install a foundation properly from the start? Avoid several common causes of foundation problems.
Foundation problems include movement and cracks in the foundation. With the high cost of foundations, you want to make sure your foundation stays intact.
A variety of factors cause foundation problems, including:
- Low Quality Soil: Low quality soil expands and contracts more than high quality soil. More fluctuation leads to cracks and shifts in the foundation. Make sure to check for soil quality before beginning foundation construction.
- Soil Moisture Changes: Soil with excess or depleted moisture ruins your foundation. Plumbing leaks and improper drainage pathways cause excess moisture, creating swelling. Hot weather and droughts cause low soil moisture, creating foundation settling. When soil moisture fluctuates, the foundation will shift and possibly crack.
- Plumbing Leaks: Plumbing leaks pose a huge threat because they often go unnoticed. Leaks put excess water into the soil and erode the soil around the foundation. One may not realize they have a plumbing leak until they see the effects.
- Wandering Tree Roots: As trees grow, they expand their roots in search of water. When water seeps into a foundation from plumbing leaks and excess moisture, tree roots follow. Tree roots in foundations cause instability.
- Inferior Foundation Construction: Poor quality building materials and insufficient ground preparation set the foundation up for failure. When builders use insufficient steel and inferior concrete, the foundation may move. If the soil is not compacted properly before construction, the foundation may shift as it weighs down on the soil.
Foundation problems significantly decrease when you hire the right professionals who know these causes of foundation problems. Keep your foundation intact by checking for these common pitfalls.
For more information on 5 causes of foundation problems from the experts at Innovative Pier Solutions, please contact us here or call us directly at 616.304.3727.
