How to Maintain and Even Improve the Structural Integrity of Your Home

We often use the word “foundation” lightly to describe the base of something. For instance, we say that the “foundation” of a group is its shared interest or the foundation of a good cake is proper ingredients, and so on. Yet, the foundation of any home or structure cannot be taken lightly, It is the quintessential building block on which that home or structure stands. It is the main reason that foundation upkeep and repair are so crucial to the long term stability of the building.

Unfortunately, a foundation is not always a “once and done” project and if there were flaws in ground preparation, materials or design, it leads to a number of problems… and even disasters for some. For example, problems with the foundation can lead to sinking, wall cracking, sagging floors and roofs, water issues, bowed walls and more. Not repairing the problems when they have become serious or overlooked for too long might result in a full to a partial collapse of a structure.

Maintain and Improve via the Foundation

Because so few of us ever have the opportunity to build a home or other structures from the ground up, we also don’t have the chance to dictate the quality of the foundation or ground preparation. That can leave us with the need to improve or simply assess the conditions of the foundation on a regular basis.

In fact, if you want to maintain and/or improve the structural integrity of your home or other buildings, the very first step is to have them thoroughly and properly assessed. A home inspection is a good idea, but even wiser is a visit from a foundation expert to ensure there are no problems you may be unable to detect with your untrained eye.

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If you get the thumbs up, it is a good idea to still check out the stability of the foundation on a regular basis.

And if there are problems? There are always repair options available for repairs and improvements, even if the problems seem significant. For example, the most common threats to your home from a foundation problem include:

Wall cracks – This is not always a foundation issue, but if you see cracks in any walls (interior or exterior) it represents a safety issue and you will want to have a foundation expert in to assess the risks
Foundation settling – If the walls of the foundation are leaning, bowing or seem to be settling, or you see cracks on the exterior, it could be due to the use of improper fill or soil or underground water etc. Again, this is the time for a foundation expert.
Walls bowing – This is usually due to the softening of soil outside of the foundation walls, and it means pressure from the ground is pushing inward on the foundation walls. It is something that can be fixed, but you must act quickly to get experienced help from a foundation expert
Problems in the crawl space or the slab – If the floor of the basement leaks, the slab on which a home is built is expanding or shrinking or there are issues within the basement or crawl space, including leaks, sinking and other concerns, it is best to contact experts straight away

While it can seem that structural changes due to foundation problems are too big to repair, that is not the case. The team at The Foundation Experts has decades of experience in foundation restoration, structural repairs and waterproofing all suited to helping you maintain and even improve upon the structural integrity of your home and other buildings.

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