Surviving a Failed Foundation Major Problems Often Look Worse Than They Are

The panic in Jim Robinson's voice was unmistakable, and his friend Peter was concerned. You know how much rain we'™ve been having, Jim stated. "œWell, it's caused a big crack in our foundation wall. I've got water leaking into the basement, and the wall is actually bowing inward along the wall where the washer and dryer are installed."

Peter did his best to reassure his friend, but he too was alarmed. He could imagine how shocked he'd be to discover that a wall that was supporting his house had suddenly started to buckle. Fortunately, Jim was able to contact an experienced foundation repair contractor who reassured him that the bowed wall could be straightened and stabilized using several helical anchors, and the cracks could be filled with special patching mortar.

To help avoid similar problems in the future, Jim would need to improve his gutter and downspout system so that roof runoff during heavy rainstorms could be directed well away from the foundation on all sides of the house. He was also having perimeter drains and a sump pump installed in the basement to keep it dry.

While it'™s definitely shocking to see a straight, solid concrete wall crack and bow unexpectedly, these major structural issues don't need to compromise a family'™s safety or diminish a home's value. The key is to act quickly so that an experienced foundation repair specialist can assess and correct structural problems before they worsen. Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding foundation problems:

Concrete can'™t stretch. As a material, concrete can support a heavy load, but its tensile (stretching) strength is comparatively very weak. This is true for poured concrete as well as concrete block. When a foundation wall has a lot pressure applied against one side, the opposite side can'™t bend or stretch in response to this pressure, so it'™s prone to cracking and bowing inward. 

Water can damage foundations in numerous ways. When the soil around a foundation gets saturated with water, the added hydrostatic pressure can cause cracks and bowing. But sometimes damaging force is applied against the foundation because clay-rich soil expands with great pressure when it gets wet. A third way that water causes damage is by washing away supporting soil to leave empty spaces under a foundation footing or concrete floor. These voids can cause unsupported concrete to collapse or crack and shift. Since water has such great potential to damage foundations, the best practice is to keep excess water away from the foundation.

The smartest strategy combines professional repair work with preventive measures. With access to training, proprietary repair materials and specialized tools, a franchise like Foundation Support Works is well-equipped to solve a wide range of foundation problems “even those that a homeowner feels to be extreme. But it'™s important to determine the cause of these problems and take steps to alleviate the conditions that caused them. An experienced foundation repair contractor will be able to handle the repairs and provide recommendations to the homeowner on preventative measures.

Contact Matvey Construction today for foundation repair in Washington. They're your experienced foundation repair contractor in Mercer Island. Servicing Tacoma, Renton, and Seattle.