Crawl Space Encapsulation and Foundation Repair in Russellville, KY

Along with a good gutter and downspout system, there are other things you can invest in to improve your home’s drainage. Downspout extensions at least 10 feet long should be attached to the bottom of downspouts to properly move water away from the foundation. Extensions also can be placed in the ground to improve safety and appearance. 

The slope or grade of the soil and landscaping around your home also is extremely important. There must be a positive grade so water moves down and away from the foundation. Otherwise, with a negative grade, water will move down and towards the foundation and then lead to problems like leaks and wall cracks.

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. 

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.  

Gutter systems tend to last an average of 20 years. However, you should assess the need to replace your gutters by inspecting the system. If your gutters are damaged, leaking, or otherwise not doing what they should it’s time to replace them.