Property foundations in Texas are a real problem due to the conditions of the state. There’s nothing home owners can do about this expect for keep from getting cracked foundations. The problem when something does go wrong is people fail to identify the real problem. If they did, they would know how to address it and what they can do to help prevent it in the future. We will discuss four of the misconceptions of foundations people always seem to miss.
1. The Foundations and Problems
Rarely are the foundations the problem. Your foundations haven’t cracked because they were poor quality foundations. Foundations made from concrete are perfectly adequate for the job. The issue is in the soil. Foundations are damaged and need foundation repair from experts like https://dallasfoundationrepairspecialists.com/ because they’re forced to shift as a result of the soil conditions.
Your foundations might just have moved. They might be still in good order, but their shifting has damaged something upstairs. A professional concrete leveling and foundation repair contractor may recommend the use of Metal Shims for Foundation Leveling to solve this issue.
2. Water is the Cause
You can’t do anything to improve the soil or the foundations. A foundation expert can only repair the damage and advise you on how to protect your foundations. They can’t change anything. The variable is the amount of water filtering through to the foundations. As water filters through, the clay soil native to Texas begins to expand. It puts pressure on the concrete foundations, which causes them to move and crack.
To get rid of the water, you should invest in a foundation drainage system. Since they’re commonly required in Texas, you can find some good deals on these systems.
3. The Voids
The empty spaces under the foundations are irrelevant. You aren’t improving the structure of your home by putting anything in these spaces because the load of the house itself isn’t focused on these spaces.
Concrete foundations use thick beams to take the load. It’s these beams you need to concentrate on. This same principle is used when building piers. The pressure is on the beams where they join with the foundations. The middle of the beam isn’t taking the pressure, so there’s no need to support it by filling the voids.
4. The Cracks
The cracks in your home don’t indicate where the problems are. A crack happens because the situation becomes so desperate the material needs to create some space so it can move. It’s basic physics. If you don’t create the space or remove the pressure, the material has no choice but to split and move along.
Think of a crack as the symptom of the problem. The symptom doesn’t act as the source of the problem. You should look at cracks as a sign something is wrong and no more. This is a mistake homeowners always report to cracked foundation repair. If you’ve ever watched them work, you’ll realize their work doesn’t concentrate on these cracks.
You should learn about these four misconceptions quickly. They’re educational and they show you how foundation problems really occur. Using this knowledge, you won’t make any costly mistakes. For example, lots of homeowners have wasted money by filling in the voids under the foundations. With this knowledge, you’re an informed consumer and you know when you need to consult a professional.
Today’s guest post is contributed by Douglas Plauche, owner of the company Douglas Foundation Repair. He shares business, home repair and marketing solutions through his articles. He says you can read more about home repair here – www.DouglasFoundationRepair.com.
