Foundation Watering and Expansive Soil

What is Foundation Watering and Expansive Soil?

Expansive soil is known to be present in every US state and throughout the world. Every year, expansive soils contribute to billions of dollars in damage to homes. In a typical year, expansive soils cause greater financial loss to property owners than earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined. The proper design and care of your foundation is very important to preserving the integrity of your home.

The Causes of Foundation Watering and Expansive Soil

If the soil around the exterior of the home becomes excessively dry, it will shrink, leaving a gap between the soil and the foundation. These cracks allow additional evaporation and more cracking deeper in the soil. When heavy rains happen, these cracks allow excessive amounts of water to penetrate soil layers causing swelling of the clay soils that are intended to support the foundation. This rapid expansion can cause settlement, foundation cracking, drywall cracking, and the need for foundation repairs.

causes of foundation problems

The lack of uniform moisture levels can be caused by:

  • Neglect
  • Lack of guttering and downspouts on the home
  • Improper drainage
  • Plumbing leaks
  • Improper grading
  • Excessive watering
  • Trees too near the foundation
  • Poor soil conditions

Expansive soils, combined with a shallow foundation, create a scenario that can manifest itself into major foundation problems such as a shifting house. Shallow foundations (foundations very near the surface) rest upon soils that are greatly influenced by rain and ambient temperatures. These foundations become highly susceptible to the movement which causes cracking and structural damage. Opposed to deep foundations (foundations that are set below the zone of influence), shallow foundations are cheaper and account for the greatest financial losses due to foundation repairs and structural failures.

Foundation Failure Prevention

The most effective solution to foundations in expansive soil areas is through professional design. A deep foundation along with proper guttering, grading and landscaping will create an effective foundation for homes and commercial buildings alike without the concern of structural cracking and foundation repair work.

leaves in gutter

For existing homes:

  • Maintain guttering around the perimeter of the home
  • Direct downspouts at least 10’ from the foundation
  • Create proper grading around the home
  • Remove trees and large shrubs that are within 15’ of structure
  • Maintain plumbing pipes beneath the foundation
  • Use only high-quality end bearing foundation repair techniques

Methods of identifying potentially troublesome conditions and various foundation and foundation repair design to cope with these problems are now available to foundation specialists. Soaker hoses alone will not solve your problem, a trained foundation specialist is generally required.

Signs of Foundation Failure

If you don’t identify the causes of foundation failure, then you may experience major changes in your home’s structure and foundation. Signs of foundation repair can occur inside or outside of your home as well as the garage. Some signs include leaning walls, leaning chimneys, concrete cracks, sloped floors, water stains on floors/walls, sticking doors/windows, bowing walls, and settling foundation. Every homeowner should also provide adequate waterproofing solutions to eliminate water damage and foundation cracks. Foundation specialists can assess the situation and determine the best solution for your home.

There are many foundation repair methods to repair your foundation such as steel push piers, helical piers, porch piers, tieback anchors, retaining wall tiebacks, plate anchors, and hydraulic lift slab piers. Foundation specialists will provide the best ECP foundation repair method to repair your foundation damages.