How Did My Floors Get This Way?
Homeowners in Southern California including those in Avila Beach, CA., Arroyo Grande, CA., and Morro Bay, CA. often think that their foundation problems snuck up on them over the years. Living in a home over a long period of time can make it hard to discover uneven flooring until it becomes hard to open and shut doors and windows, or cracks appear in the walls.
Settling soils are a major reason why slab and raised foundations sink and crack. What causes the movement of foundation soils? Take note of the following reasons and better educate yourself as to whether the symptoms you’re seeing in your home may be signs of a settling foundation due to shifting soils.
CHECK YOUR PIPES FOR LEAKS
HVAC and plumbing system leaks are common in both slab and raised foundation homes. Moisture causes the soil to expand, leading to movement. Even after you fix a leak, the drying soils will then contract, causing the area to shift again.
POORLY COMPACTED FILL SOIL
When building a home, often times the builder allows for loosely set or ‘fluffed’ soils to remain under a poured concrete slab. Concrete doesn’t ‘bend’ well, which occurs when pressure is applied to concrete that has voids below it due to loose soils that create spaces or gaps. Before pouring a concrete slab, it is recommended to ‘water it’ to accelerate the compaction process. Unfortunately, many don’t get the opportunity to observe the soil conditions when their home’s foundation is installed. If you are experiencing symptoms of foundation settlement, the poorly compacted soil could be the culprit.
DROUGHT CONDITIONS
This one is a statewide problem that homeowners have a hard time avoiding. Extremely dry soil particles contract, creating spaces between themselves, allowing for shifting and movement over time. Varying temperatures and moisture content also affect drought condition soils.
Our Solutions Provide a Permanent Solution…
Our hydraulic push piers, secured to a foundation using a heavy-duty slab bracket, are pushed deep, past shifting soils, to load bearing strata. The piers and brackets are beneath the ground, out of sight, and are made of galvanized steel – which doesn’t rust over time. Our systems can be installed year-round as well! Reduce trip hazards, level your slab, and enjoy peace of mind when it comes to the future of your home! Call or visit Saber to schedule a FREE foundation inspection!
