Foundation Repair Causes

Sandy or silt-like soil, while not expansive, makes for a weak foundational support. This issue tends to be common in coastal areas where sandy soil is more common. Since this sand or silt isn’t firmly or densely packed, water flows easily through it. This causes a lot of movement in the soil beneath your home, which will in turn progress into the cracking and crumbling of your home, as the soil beneath the foundation can’t sustain the weight.  

These issues mainly plague the coast, where slab and crawl space foundations are the majority. For these foundation types, crawl space support jacks or slab piers can act as permanent relief for your suffering foundation.

Expansive soils like clay, which become more prominent the further inland you go, are a major culprit for foundation issues. Expansive soils are named after their tendency to expand after encountering water. When your area is hit with a major rainstorm, this will cause the soil to expand and put pressure on your foundation walls. The inverse occurs when the weather is dry. Expansive clay soil shrinks, creating air pockets that can accelerate foundation settlement and sinking.  

Expansive soils can cause your home to sink, and if you have a basement, you likely experience cracking and bowing. At JES, we have top-of-the-line structural support solutions like wall braces, wall anchors, helical piers, and more. 

A major catalyst for foundation issues is standing water around your foundation, as excess water can aggravate and accelerate the previously mentioned causes. Standing water around your foundation can be caused by many things, one of which is a faulty or poorly functioning gutter system. A negatively graded yard can also cause this issue, meaning your yard slightly slopes downward, toward your home.  

To help the soil around your home retain water, you can opt for an interior drainage system or a sump pump, which can help safeguard your crawl space or basement from overwhelming amounts of water.