What Can Weaken a Foundation?

diana Majzoub

2022-08-30

We hired Level Pro to level our property foundation. The team who worked on the house were on time and worked all day till the job was done. We did read couple of bad reviews on the company but what we experienced with Level Pro proved them wrong. Everyone was very professional from beginning to end and the crew cleaned up the whole area and took all the trash with them. They had a high tech machine that showed the house elevating till it reached to zero and all the cracks inside the house and outside almost gone. Doors used to be tight and now all do open and close easily. The owner Randy was very professional and stayed in contact throughout the work, came multiple times to check on the progress. We are very satisfied with the work and would highly recommend Level Pro for foundation leveling and will keep them in mind for future projects.

Melinda Lantelme

2022-08-17

They were so friendly and easy to work with. They did an excellent job and were very respectful with cleanup, etc.

Fix N Go Austin

2022-04-01

Cory came to my house at less then 24 hours, measured all the house, gave me he’s honest inspection about the house and was very friendly, informative and honest

Zena Cardman

2021-07-03

We needed our 120-year-old pier-and-beam house re-leveled, and had a great experience with Lee. He was straightforward and communicative, sent lots of photos of the progress, and as a courtesy bonus also inspected our foundation for termite damage and checked our plumbing for leaks while under the house.

Kimberly Reyes

2021-05-06

Y'alls customer service is excellent. You're more responsive than the company I intended to review (Pier Pro Foundation Repair). My sincerest apologies.

Stephanie T Evans Greenham

2020-06-19

Would hire them again and I HIGHLY recommend them! I was selling my home and wanted the work done after the closing. Not only did these folks work with the home BUYERS schedule, but also with me. They did fantastic work and even though they knew I was not in the home and I no longer had ownership, they sent me pictures of their completed work. I had experienced great customer service, from very professional and honest poeple. I trust them, I trust their work and would send family and friends their way, who needed it.

Randy Rose

2020-06-03

Excellence of course !

Nobody likes to think about the possibility of their home’s foundation weakening, yet it is an important part of maintaining and preserving your home. The integrity of a foundation can weaken due to various factors— some natural such as flooding, while other issues are man-made, like tree roots or bad plumbing. Understanding what could weaken your home’s foundation can help homeowners prepare for potential problems and take action before any major damage occurs. In this blog post, we explore what factors may contribute to weakening a house’s foundation and how you can identify them.

Poor soil structure caused by water and frost

Poor soil structure caused by water and frost can weaken the foundation. If the soil around your home is not suitable for bearing weight, it can lead to cracks in the foundation or other structural damage.

It is important to remember that any water beneath or around your house’s foundation should be drained away from the property. This can help keep water and ice from weakening the soil and, in turn, the foundation.

Faulty construction or design

A home, as sturdy as it may appear, can avoid subpar, construction-particularly when it comes to the foundation. Unfortunately, many developers cut corners by building on a shallow or mismatched foundation, which can have disastrous consequences over time. For instance, it can lead to cracking walls and slab displacement due to uneven settling or frost heave of the soil.

In extreme cases, additional consequences of inadequate or incorrect foundation design may include movement at joint connections and beams or even complete collapse. But these moisture and structural problems are easily avoidable if proper attention is paid when designing the foundation.

Before implementing footers, a deep understanding of soil types and the consequences associated with inappropriately placed foundations is imperative. As such, investing in a high-quality engineer to ensure your house has been built on solid ground is crucial for securing its longevity for years.

Tree roots or vegetation

Trees too close to a house’s foundation can damage its structural integrity. Large, invasive tree roots can slowly erode the soil, creating cracks and putting pressure on the foundation.

It is important to keep trees at least 8 feet away from your home’s foundation as a precautionary measure. Additionally, vegetation that retains moisture near a house’s foundation can cause increased stress on the home’s structure.

Plumbing issues

Plumbing leaks can cause much more than an inconvenience or higher water bills; they can also lead to water buildup beneath a building’s foundation. This is especially dangerous for homes and may result in a weakened foundation, mold growth, and flooding.

The best way to avoid this is to ensure that one’s plumbing is regularly inspected and repaired. Taking swift action to fix any small issues as soon as they arise will help prevent larger problems from occurring in the future.

Furthermore, it is always better to leave the job of repairing any plumbing issue up to a professional plumber with the knowledge and experience required for a thorough job.

Incorrect grading

The area around a house’s foundation should be graded away from the property rather than towards it so that water and debris can be drained away from the home’s structure.

If this grading is not done properly, it can result in soil buildup or pooling near the foundation, leading to cracks and other serious damage.

After examining the various factors that can weaken a house’s foundation, it is clear that proactive measures should be taken to prevent damaging situations. Regularly inspecting your home’s foundation, plumbing systems, and the surrounding environment can help identify any issues before they become unmanageable. Keeping trees pruned, grading the land correctly, and ensuring all designs and constructions are done correctly will also go a long way in preventing damage to your foundation.

Level Pro Foundation Repair Inc
920 Murphy Road, Suite D, Stafford, Tx 77477
Phone: (832) 894-0781
https://www.levelprofoundationrepair.com/

Posted in Foundation Repairs

We've been serving Homeowners in the Greater Houston since 1988

2009 - 2018