Recognizing Foundation Movement

I have called this "Foundation Awareness Week" because after Labor Day each year the people of North Texas usually begin dealing with the signs of foundation movement that have appeared or increased over the spring and summer.

Seriously folks, if you live in North Texas it is time to review your foundation. We have been through a couple of years of much more rain than usual with some extremely hot periods thrown in. This is a recipe for subtle foundation movement to start affecting the ridged box of a house, apartment, condo building or small commercial structure that it, the foundation, supports.Look yours over.

When foundations are affected by expansive soils going through relatively frequent wet to dry cycles, it is somewhat like bending a coat hanger over and over, it can weaken the structure.

The foundation has the ability to flex, but the structure, sitting on the foundation, does not have that ability. Because of the way both our pier and beam, as well as, slab foundations, are designed they are able to “bend and Flex” when forced out of their original form. When this happens different areas of the foundation experience slight elevational changes. Minor changes in elevations can lead to major stress of the building.

Unfortunately, these elevational changes cannot be detected because, in virtually all cases, original elevations/benchmarks were not taken and are not available.

The structure sitting on the foundation cannot accept these elevation changes without at some point developing stress and then “breakage” of the rigid materials, including sheetrock, tile, hard floor covering and siding such as brick/grout, stone, and stucco.

Along with these elevation changes and “cracks”, come sticking doors and windows, cabinets pulling away from walls and ceiling, and ceiling pulling away from walls and trim.

Now I want to point out here that we, in North Texas and many other parts of the country experience almost all of our foundation movement, which leads to damage, from these subtle movements of the soil.

In other parts of the country, foundation damage is often the result of dramatic soil movement which is usually much faster and traumatic than ours. This is movement, that is the result of major earthquakes, mudslides, sinkholes, subsidence, explosions or other acts of nature and/or man.

Thankfully, we seldom wake up in North Texas to major damage that has occurred to our homes and other buildings. We do, however, more often that one would like to think, ignore the early signs of foundation movement and allow it to progress to foundation damage.

First cosmetic damage appears which then usually, at some point, turns to structural damage. The difference? Cosmetic damage can usually be stopped and even reversed without the expense and stress of installing piers. Once structural damage has occurred piering or some other type of lifting is usually required.

At the point, that it is noticed that cosmetic foundation damage is occurring, all too often the homeowner tends to overreact and for free evaluations, call foundation repair companies who send out commissioned salespeople, whose job it is to sell piers.

Elevations, which are useless since benchmarks are not available, are used in lieu of good science, and in many instances, piers are sold and installed which are not only unneeded but in the long haul, detrimental to a proper repair.

It is wise at this time of year to inspect and review any changes in the interior of the home, cracks in sheetrock, cabinets not flush, doors sticking or uneven, cracks or separations in hard floor coverings. On the exterior check for cracks in bricks or brick grout, windows pulling from the frames, fascia pushed out and garage walls pulling from the overhead door.

In the event that minor movement is appearing, it is possible that it will not worsen. It is likely, however, that it will continue to progress. It is possible that it may temporarily return to how it was, but it almost impossible for it to then permanently stay at its original point.

This is not the time to go for a "free" evaluation/sales pitch from a foundation repair company with commissioned salespeople.

This is the time to contact an authority with no ties to foundation repair companies. Someone whose you pay a fee for unbiased information. Someone who will not further profit regardless of whether repairs are required or not. Someone with years of verifiable, on the job experience. Someone who has been hands on involved with the repair of foundations and who has had experience with redoing failed foundation repair. I would like to be that person and my pledge is that if I can’t provide the help you need I don’t expect to be paid.

Please read my website for who I am, what I do, what my customers say and how I can help you.

Richard Rash. 817-308-8186. email:[email protected]. Website:www.repairfoundations.com. Blog:www.foundationmanspeaks.comClick for References