Why Do I Have A Sinking Foundation?

Several forces work against your foundation as it tries to keep your home in place. One of the most common reasons, for example, that your foundation may begin to sink is that it may be contending with extensive hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic pressure is the force water generates when it comes into contact with the structural supports you have protecting your home. 

As this water gathers in the soil around your foundation, it can force your foundation’s structural materials to rapidly change temperature. In doing so, those materials’ particles will also be forced to change in size. The colder the water the material is exposed to, the smaller the particles will become. 

Comparatively, the warmer the water is, the larger the materials will become. This fluctuation will be made more frequent if you have excessive levels of moisture in your home or if you’re actively trying to alter the temperature of your basement or crawl space. As your structural materials attempt to contend with these many changes, they can endure a significant amount of stress and eventually crack under the pressure—literally. 

Other Causes Behind Sinking Foundations 

That said, foundations can also begin to sink if they were improperly laid. Alternatively, the soil around your home may have been destabilized by long-term drought. Droughts can shrink the size of the soil particles around your home, making them incapable of absorbing water from rain or irrigation systems. Tree roots that grow too close to your foundation can cause gaps to open up in the soil. Your foundation, in turn, can start to sink into the space that’s been left behind. 

It is often in your best interest to collaborate with a professional contractor in your area to determine what might be causing your home to sink and, in turn, what solutions may help you restore your home’s original value. You can first work to raise your foundation back into its original position and then install preventive measures that can lower your home’s risk of succumbing to hydrostatic pressure in the future.