Problems With Different Foundations
The most important piece to your home is arguably the foundation of it. Without a solid foundation, your home could be susceptible to a variety of issues, such as wall and foundation cracks, sloping or sagging floors and even water seepage, which could all lead to different damages caused to your home. Ensuring these issues don't happen to you are some of the hardest and costly tasks a homeowner must deal with.
Foundations play an important role in the positioning of the house as it transfers the weight of it, along with everything inside it, to the soil beneath. If your house has a basement or crawlspace, the foundation must also resist the pressure presented by the soil around it, and withstand any elemental issues that may occur; wind, snow and earthquakes just to name a few. If the foundation happens to give in to the pressure, that's when you are most likely to see sloping, cracking, deterioration or water seepage.
How important is the soil the foundation sits on?
The stability of the foundation is highly influenced by the soil that it's on. If you're planning getting a new home or building one from scratch, it's important to know what type of soil you want the house on. The best type of soil to have is sand and gravel as they offer the best overall foundation support. However, you may stumble upon a clay-rich soil, and that could lead to settling or cracking due to moisture. At that point, it would be the time to call in a company, like Liberty Basement Systems, to help get your home fixed.
Ideally, your foundation soil should be unmoved and porous, which allows for both proper draining and solid support so your foundation stays healthy and the chances of you having to spend thousands of dollars on repairs is less likely.
What are different foundation types?
There are three main types of foundation that most homeowners choose from.
1. Concrete Slab - while concrete slabs are the most cost-effective foundation to choose, you'll face challenges if trying to install or get to different utility lines that connect to your house.
2. Crawlspace - if your home has a crawlspace, it would be easy to get to those utility lines that a concrete slab foundation wouldn't, but it is likely to suffer from different moisture issues that could require proper encapsulation and drainage.
3. Basement - basements have been the most popular foundation that we have seen, and they do provide your home with extra space for storage, turning it into a mancave or woman-cave, or having people over for a game night. However, basements are the most vulnerable to water seepage, especially if it isn't properly waterproofed.
What issues could I see in my foundation?
That's the perfect question that all homeowners should have basic answers to.
1. Water damage - water damage to your foundation can a lot of times be seen not long after a rainstorm has hit your area. This can cause significant damage to your home and its' foundation. If you notice water damage, you should focus on calling up the pros to possibly install the most effective drainage system for your home.
2. Cracks, sagging or sloping - if you notice any cracks in the foundation, or any place where there might be sagging or sloping occurring, they require immediate attention in order to prevent further damage to the structure.
If you notice any potential issues with your foundation, or you want to be proactive instead of reactive, have the experts at Liberty Basement Systems come and provide a free inspection & estimate. We can help you with basement waterproofing, crawlspace encapsulation, foundation repairs and so much more!