Understanding Foundation Upheaval
Richard Rash
Foundation Repair Consultant | 40+ Years Experience. Foundation repair companies sell piers...I provide solutions.. Call/text 817-308-8186
Most construction is done during dry weather. When highly expansive soil is drying it shrinks. When homes are built in the summer it is usually on shrunken soil. When it does rain the soils expand at different rates, according to the lay of the land. When rains come this causes the soils to expand at different rates under a home, apartment or commercial building. The structural foundation may then bend, causing the rigid box, which is the building, to place stress on the sheetrock, hard floor covering and brick siding. It is then that we begin to see signs we refer to as foundation damage. And this is because areas of the building are being lifted. And if parts of the building are lifted you want to fix the cause, which will then allow the building to return to near as built. You do not want to lift the rest of the building up.
Negative drainage, melting ice or snow and or leaking pipes can cause clay soils to expand to the point where structures are lifted. This is called upheaval.
Moisture causing clay soils to expand, around and under a structure, can lift the structure above grade giving the illusion of settlement.
Upheaval is often confused with soil settlement. When this happen the wrong repairs are done, which in turn will cause additional damage.
Piers or other attempts at lifting are not the answer to upheaval.
If you or anyone you know has questions about pier and beam, slab or basement construction please contact me at 817-308-8186. These and many other areas pertaining to foundation and drainage problems are covered extensively on my website: www.repairfoundations.com, and in my blog www.foundationmanspeaks.com. For occasional updates subscribe to NEWSLETTER. You may contact me by email at richardrashinc@tx.rr.com.