Root Causes of Foundation Damage

Flooding

Flooding and heavy rains are not uncommon during the winter months. Water can seep in through cracks in the floor or walls of a basement, expanding and putting pressure on the concrete. When the water recedes, it can leave cracks behind and make your home more vulnerable to water during the next heavy rainstorm.

Drought

Despite its rainy reputation, the Pacific Northwest is no stranger to drought. As soil shrinks in the hot, dry summers, it pulls away from your home's foundation, creating gaps where water seeps in when the rains return. The exposed foundation is subject to stress, cracks, and leaking. Look for gaps and doors and windows that stick due to alignment problems.

Large Trees

Trees bring shade and tranquility to a home, but tree roots that are too close to your foundation can pose a slow-growing problem. Tiny new roots, seeking water, force themselves between hairline cracks in concrete, forcing it to crack further. The roots of mature trees expand and contract as they soak up water, displacing the earth - particularly rocky soil - underneath a home's foundation. Cracked, broken concrete in nearby sidewalks and driveways can be an indication that roots pose a risk to your foundation.

Expansive Soil

The effects of expansive soil damage a foundation slowly. Certain types of soils in the Pacific Northwest absorb water and expand, exerting significant pressure against the foundation. This type of damage can be easy to overlook because it happens over time, but it can cause a greater financial loss to you than earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined. Expansive soil often compounds problems caused by poor construction.

Consolidating Soil

Consolidating soil has the opposite effect of expansive soil, causing soil to shrink and compact. It occurs naturally as water is squeezed out and the volume of earth decreases, leaving a home's foundation high and dry. Consolidating soil loses its ability to support the weight of a house. Because the weight of the house is not distributed evenly, consolidating soils can cause the house to become unbalanced. Houses built on hills or with a hot, southern-facing exterior are particularly susceptible to consolidating soil. Uneven sidewalks and driveways are signs that consolidating soil may have damaged your foundation.

Poor Soil Preparation

Grading, compressing, and testing your soil are critical steps to preparing a site for construction. Homes built on a site that hasn't been properly compacted or graded will settle and shift over time.

Poor Drainage

Fall foliage in the Pacific Northwest can be breathtaking, but falling leaves pose a real problem for your gutters. Ensuring proper drainage by keeping your gutters clear and downspouts pointed away from your home can prevent soil erosion around the foundation and reduce the risk that water will seep into your basement.

Poor Construction

Cheap building materials, poor planning, and shoddy work all spell trouble for a home's foundation. If the soil was not properly compacted during construction, it compacts after the home is complete - and it may not be perfectly level. Inaccurate grading and poorly placed structural reinforcements can also cause damage to a home's foundation.

Plumbing Leaks

Standing water damages more than just carpets and furniture - it could also wreak havoc on your home's foundation. As moving water pushes against the interior of the house, the pressure can cause load-bearing walls to shift. Water can seep through porous concrete of a home's foundation, expanding and eventually drying, causing the concrete to expand, contract, and crack. Toxic chemicals can seep out, and plumbing and electrical wiring can be damaged. Plumbing leaks can cause cracks in the foundation, gaps, misalignment, warped surfaces, and sticky doors and windows.

Evaporation

Low-quality soil, organic components, and debris have one quality in common: They hold water. When the water evaporates, the material contracts. And if that shrinking, shifting material happens to be beneath a house, the foundation can suffer severe damage. As soil contracts, it pulls away from the foundation, leaving it unsupported and vulnerable to uneven settling. Water stains, cracks, and misaligned floors and doors may indicate evaporation issues in your home.