Crawl Space Encapsulation and Foundation Repair in Kingsport, TN

Foundation replacement has never been taken lightly, of course, but there was a time when it was the only viable option for many people. This is, thankfully, no longer the case. While there are some cases in which replacement is necessary, we always view it as a last resort. 

Lifting and Repair 

Lifting and repairing a damaged foundation is easier than ever thanks to things like polyurethane foam and foundation pier systems. These tools and products make it possible to lift, stabilize, and restore foundations that would have been considered beyond saving even 50 years ago! Of course, they are specialist tools that require professional input, but the benefits of repairing rather than replacing your property’s foundation are many. 

First and foremost, there is the matter of cost. While no one would even call foundation repair a small expense, replacing a foundation is still more expensive and, sadly, far less effective. You see, repair methods address the cause of the damage in a way that simply replacing a foundation cannot. This means that pier systems and other repair products offer an all-around solution. 

Replacement as a Last Resort 

The biggest problem with replacing a damaged foundation is the fact that it simply ignores the underlying issues. This means that, as well as being expensive and inconvenient, replacement is ineffective unless you also invest in a repair solution that deals with the original cause of the damage. As such, a replaced foundation is almost certain to experience the same issues as the original one. 

This is why replacement is a last resort. Here at AFS Foundation & Waterproofing Specialists, we will only ever suggest replacement if your foundation is entirely defective or too damaged to be salvaged and repaired. Even then, we will do our best to only replace the sections of a foundation that are beyond help. This will take a long time and cause much disruption, however, because the new foundation concrete must be allowed to properly set before we will be able to install piers or other repair solutions.  

If you notice a lean, tilt, or buckling in your basement walls, several issues could be at work. Broadly speaking, however, the most common causes of bowing walls in any basement are hydrostatic pressure and foundation damage. 

Hydrostatic Pressure 

Hydrostatic pressure is a natural phenomenon caused by the weight of the water in the soil around a property. All homes are subject to hydrostatic pressure, and all homes are designed to withstand it. Of course, even the best designed property has a threshold for pressure. When hydrostatic pressure becomes too great for a home, it can cause bowing walls. This happens because of how it exerts lateral pressure. 

Most basement walls are made of concrete, and concrete has a low tensile strength when compared to its compressive strength. Hydrostatic pressure tests its tensile strength by exerting lateral pressure, which is the main cause of a bowing wall. Several factors can increase hydrostatic pressure around a home, including inadequate drainage, heavy rainfall, underground water sources, and localized flooding. 

Foundation Damage and Movement 

Alternatively, bowing walls can be caused by foundation damage and movement. When this happens, it occurs because of the direct connection between basement walls and a property’s foundation. Any sinking, lateral movement, or fragmentation in the foundation can lead to an excess of pressure or a lack of support to the basement walls. This will then cause bowing, leaning, or buckling over time. Foundation movement and damage are also highly influenced by soil saturation. 

Sudden flooding, heavy storms, or poor perimeter drainage can all contribute to foundation movement by making the soil unstable, marshy, or weak. In the cases of serious and dramatic flooding (for example, during a storm surge), the force of water hitting a home can also cause foundation movement. Any movement in your property’s structure poses a risk of cracking, fragmentation, and destabilization over time. 

Whether you have just bought a home with open vents or wooden crawl space doors, or started to become concerned about the health of the property you have been living in for years, there really is no time like the present. Acting quickly could save you a lot of money as well as additional problems down the road. 

Waiting Can Cause Problems 

We urge you not to wait when it comes to your crawl space. Covering your crawl space vents and installing a full crawl space encapsulation system in the space is a task that any professional can undertake. Waiting, however, can be very expensive indeed. 

Once dampness has taken root in your crawl space, it is likely to develop at an alarming speed. Homes with damp crawl spaces are far more likely to experience issues with pest infestation, mold, wood rot, and appliance breakdowns. All these issues are avoidable with the proper crawl space encapsulation. 

Prevent Damage with Speedy Action 

The benefits of crawl space encapsulation are incredible when you consider how easy and cost-effective the process is. Acting quickly when you notice issues with your property’s crawl space is one of the best things that you can do to minimize and prevent damage. In fact, it could even protect your health and well-being by preventing toxic fungal spores from spreading through your home. 

While wood rot will lead to sagging floors and walls, black mold is virulently toxic and durable. This fungal growth could cause migraines, headaches, dizziness, fainting, respiratory issues, infections, and even seizures. As is generally the case with these things, those who are already vulnerable are the most at risk of serious side effects when it comes to mold exposure. If you have young children or elderly in your home, encapsulation should be a priority.

Concrete driveways, porches, and pool decks tend to sink because the soil on which they rest is settling. The soil can’t take on the weight of the concrete slab on top of them and they cave under pressure. This leads to the concrete being lowered as well and getting damaged in the process. 

Signs That Water Has Damaged the Soil 

In some cases, the sinking is caused by the water that’s washing the soil off. After a while, the soil density isn’t enough to support the concrete anymore and it ends up sinking. When this is the case, you’ll have to address the voids in the soil and fill them up so that the water can’t reach them. 

Since it takes time for the soil to settle and the concrete to sink, a careful homeowner will notice the problem before it becomes a burden. Small cracks and slight slopes and slants are a good indicator that there’s a problem with your yard and it’s best to react right away. 

Aesthetic and Curb Appeal 

Sometimes sinking concrete can be an actual source of harm, since it’s easier to slip on it and especially so during the winter when the sinking is less noticeable. For most homeowners, however, this is first and foremost an aesthetic issue. Curb appeal is a big part of how the home is perceived and therefore how it’s valued. 

These small cracks, sunken areas, and other aesthetic problems with the yard aren’t that difficult to fix, but they can lower the price of your home with potential buyers. It often happens that bigger, more substantial issues are missed by the buyers. However, signs of poor maintenance tend to lower the price.  

Getting to the Bottom of the Problem 

It’s useful for a homeowner to figure out what’s causing the sinking in the first place. This is about more than just curiosity. Knowing what the underlying issue is will help you choose the best and least expensive solution.  

A lot of the time, homeowners fix the concrete but don’t go into the reason for why it sunk. That may mean that you’ll have to fix the concrete once the soil beneath it settles after a while. A long-term fix ends up being less expensive when additional repairs are considered.