Let’s Understand Foundation Problems
Is the concrete in distress below your home? Problems with the foundation can result in major structural damage in your home. Whether you're a homeowner or a prospect buyer, problems with the foundation are scary and you probably have a lot of questions. You need to find out a good foundation repair company in Oklahoma City for it.
Foundation Damage Cause
Water is the primary culprit for the vast majority of problems. Moisture variations cause soil components to swell or shrink, leading to underlying movement. Your property may be more vulnerable to damage to the foundation if:
It was built on expansive clay.
Built on unsuccessfully compacted filling soils.
There is poor drainage in the area around the foundation.
You live in a seasonally extreme area.
Underneath your home you experienced plumbing leakage.
Arboreal roots grow too close to your home.
The structure has been compromised by an earthquake, flood or drought.
Those soils with the highest content of clay and more susceptible while those with the lowest content of clay not much affected. The movement is insignificant in some areas; it is quite pronounced in others.
The movement is transferred to the foundation when unstable soils are used as a base. Because soil movement is seldom uniform, an upheaval affects the foundation. The problem appears in the foundations of slab and pier and beam type.
If all the soil under a foundation swells uniformly, no problem usually occurs. However, issues arise when only part of the home settles down. Then the movement of differentials causes cracks or other damage. Therefore, you must contact a foundation repair contractor in Oklahoma City.
Warning Indications:
Houses settle over time, and panic is not caused by a little unevenness. At the same time, you're going to want to be alert to these warning signs that there are more dramatic changes going on:
A door is starting to jam.
Cracks appear in walls, particularly over doors, windows, or where ceilings meet walls.
Cracks open on a concrete floor in vinyl or ceramic tile.
Windows that used to open and close suddenly start to stick or not completely close.
All signs of foundation distress are bulging floors, cracked walls, and doors that won't close. 60% of all homes built on expansive soils are distressed by their foundation. The trouble occurs when heaves or settles only part of the foundation, causing cracks and other damage.
This differential movement is largely due to soil moisture differences. Soil moisture loss or gain can cause severe shrinking or swelling.
If a house's frame does not distort until after three or more years of good performance, that distortion may come from a full-depth foundation settlement. Cracks occur on each side of a portion of the foundation wall undergoing downward movement due to the failure of the soil bearing.
Contact Ramjack by American Leveling for foundation repair in Oklahoma City.