What causes uneven foundations, crawl spaces, and slabs?
Houses that are built upon expansive clay soils are most vulnerable to foundation movement. Clay soils are good at absorbing water and expanding with it. This exerts immense amounts of pressure on foundation walls and floors, which can cause cracking, bowing, heaving, and allow water to infiltrate the foundation.
On the other end, clay soils that have dried out, typically shrink and allow for a foundation to sink downward.
Exterior drainage that doesn’t do its job of directing moisture away from a home, aids the contraction and expansion of soil. Pools of water that form under or close to a structure can and will damage a foundation. Gutters and downspouts that are broken down or not constructed properly may fail to divert water away. Similarly, walkways, driveways, patios, and landscaping spaces that do not slope away from the residence, may push water back toward the home and saturate and expand soil.
You should also watch for plumbing leaks under a slab foundation and growing tree roots that can cause cracks in pipes and basement walls and floors. These tree roots may also absorb hefty amounts of moisture in the soil beneath the foundation, resulting in shrinkage and foundation movement. Shrinking soil often results in stair step or diagonal cracks on interior and exterior walls.
The process of leveling a foundation involves raising it as necessary. We use concrete and steel components that drive deep into soil to stabilize and restore the foundation structure for many years to come. Get in touch with us to learn more and to schedule an inspection or service in Baltimore, Ellicott City, Towson, Columbia, Glen Burnie, Dundalk, Owings Mills, Bel Air, and beyond.
