Is it safe to reside in a home with a weak foundation? Probably. But that doesn’t make it a smart move. If you put off that inspection, you are allowing the issues to continue and inevitably worsen, because foundation damage does not get better with time. The longer you put it off, your home could experience major issues such as sinking or upheaval, and with major foundation issues like this, temporarily evacuating your home may become necessary.

The point is that it is not always clear the extent of damage to your foundation; therefore, you should schedule an inspection at the first sign of damage for an accurate diagnosis. Proactive action can save you hassle and money in the long term.

Take our Faulty Foundation Test to see if you need to get your foundation checked out by a professional.

Contact us for an inspection!

Owning a home comes with a hefty price tag: taxes, electricity, insurance, and the list goes on. Repair fees are a significant outlay that nobody wants to incur. Although foundation repair can be pricey, it may be the best choice for your house. Unfortunately, many foundation-related repairs won’t be covered by your home insurance, so the actual question you’re probably wondering is: Is it really worth it?

What Plans Do You Have for Your Home?

Practically speaking, your future plans will determine if you should repair the problems with your foundation. Although there may be one or two circumstances where you can forego the pricey repairs, foundation repairs are usually worthwhile. Consider your future plans for your house.

• Do you intend to stay there for the foreseeable future? Then certainly, foundation repairs are worth the money.
• Does the thought of not having foundation problems make you feel at ease? The price is then unquestionably justified.
• Do you intend to refinance? Repairs would be worthwhile if you want to refinance for a higher amount of money.
• Try to sell your house, do you? The answer depends, then. Foundation repairs might not be worthwhile if you must leave as soon as possible and don’t care how the house looks when you sell it. But keep in mind that a house with sound foundation will sell more quickly.

It’s Usually A Necessary Expense

You see what we mean. Depending on the amount of work required, foundation repairs could cost up to thousands of dollars, but your house is something you should be willing to invest in. It can be simple to put off repairs until you have the money when you notice cracks in the walls or that the house is settling a little too much. However, foundation problems don’t wait for you to arrive. As they worsen, more expensive and complex repairs are required.

It goes without saying that severe downpours and other rain events will occur when you live in the Midwest. Our area is accustomed to soaking rains that produce enormous puddles or sometimes flash flooding. We are frequently asked, “Can too much rain cause foundation problems?” The short answer is yes. The soils around your foundation play a significant role in how well it endures. Let’s learn more about how a heavy downpour might affect the foundation of your house, one of its most vital components.

What Causes Heavy Rain to Add to Foundation Problems?

A little rain will fall into everyone in our lives. All of Kansas, including the Wichita area, frequently experiences moderate rainfall. There isn’t much cause for alarm in this situation. But when it rains hard, that’s when you should start to worry more. Expanding soil is caused by saturated soil. Hydrostatic pressure is a result of expanding soils. You may suffer foundation issues like the following if the pressure on your basement/foundation walls increases:

• A wall splits
• Sagging walls
• Seepage of water as groundwater seeps into your basement
• More serious results, like complete wall displacement or wall collapse
• Flooding in the basement

What steps may be taken to address these rain-related problems? Advanced Systems provides a number of options. Contact Us to learn more!

The Kansas City area is notorious for experiencing its fair share of natural catastrophes, including protracted droughts that are common throughout Kansas. These disasters range from tornadoes, to floods and droughts. The foundation of your home may suffer serious damage from prolonged dryness and drought conditions. Keep in mind that drought causes the soil’s moisture levels to decrease, causing your foundation to contract. Please continue reading to learn how the drought in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas region will impact your foundation.

How Drought Can Affect A Home’s Foundation

Your foundation’s soil contracts as a result of a prolonged water shortage. There are air voids between the foundation of your home and the earth underneath it as a result of soil shrinkage. As the foundation begins to settle against the fresh holes, it begins to crack.

The amount of harm that the drought condition will do to your soil will depend, in part, on the type of soil in your yard. For example, foundations resting on sandy soils are less prone to experience the negative impacts of drought than those resting on clay-heavy soils. Keep in mind that Kansas has significantly more clay than sandy soil. This clarifies why Texas’s foundations are vulnerable to drought degradation.

Indicatives That the Drought Is Impacting Your Foundation

Following are warning signs that the foundation of your home has been harmed by the drought:

• You have uneven floors.
• It’s challenging to close and open your windows and doors.
• Sagging walls.
• Cracked floors: Wall-to-wall cracks should be an indication that drought has a negative impact on your foundation.
• Your flooring and walls are no longer attached to your ceilings.
• Ripped wallpaper.
• Your porches and chimneys have started to sag toward the house.
• Fissures running diagonally from the windows to the ceiling.
• Walls and top moldings have split.

In short: yes, sheetrock fractures in walls are frequently a sign of issues with a home’s foundation. This is due to the possibility that any cracks in your sheetrock could indicate foundation deterioration. Property owners in the Kansas City area frequently find that their walls have sheetrock fractures and other issues. Repairing a foundation is sometimes necessary. Heat, Kansas droughts, soil movement, or enormous volumes of water can all have an impact on your sheetrock. It is problematic when moisture is trapped beneath slab foundations or pier and beam constructions.

What Kind of Foundation Problems Result in Wall Sheetrock Cracks?

Your sheetrock may develop cracks as a result of problems like foundation settlement and heave. If your home’s foundation is not level, walls frequently start to fracture. You are more likely to find holes in your walls, ceilings, and floors the more your foundation slopes and bends. This holds true for both homes built with piers and beams and foundations made of concrete slabs. Read up about foundation movement and how it affects your structure if you’re interested.

The only option may be foundation repair if you see cracks in your sheetrock and walls. Remember that minor spider cracks are nothing to worry about, but larger ones can be a sign of foundation trouble. 1″ wide cracks quickly grow to be 2-3″ long or longer. There are real reasons to be concerned about horizontal sheetrock cracks, and wall tears will only get worse with time. Sometimes only a small portion of a home’s fractures are noticeable. In other cases, you might see wall breaking in several rooms. The majority of the time, a certain area of a house has foundation issues initially. Naturally, problems will surface over time in various places all across the property.

It takes more than just measuring the foundation to determine the cost of foundation repair. The foundation’s condition, the materials required, and the amount of labor necessary are only a few of the many variables that are involved. Examine what goes into and how foundation repair estimates are created.

Identifying the foundation’s condition is the first step in creating a foundation repair estimate. In doing so, it is important to consider the foundation’s size, the materials utilized, and any damage that may have already been done. The next step is to identify what materials are required and how much labor will be needed after the foundation’s state has been evaluated.

The type of foundation you have is one of the most crucial aspects to consider when estimating foundation repair costs. There are numerous types of foundations, including crawl spaces, pier and beams, and concrete slabs. Each type of foundation has a unique set of maintenance requirements and expenses. The price of your estimated foundation repair depends on the type of foundation you have.

The degree of the damage is a crucial consideration when estimating foundation repair costs. It will probably be less expensive to fix a mildly damaged foundation than a completely damaged one. The kind of materials required and the amount of effort necessary will depend on how severe the damage is.

The foundation’s location is the final aspect to take into account when estimating foundation repair costs. Repairing a foundation that is difficult to reach will probably cost more than fixing a foundation that is at a place that is simple to get to. The kind of materials needed and the amount of labor necessary will depend on where the foundation is located.

Crawl areas can be quite problematic for mold. Mold is not only unattractive, but it also poses a health risk. You should take fast action if you suspect mold growth in your crawl area. Take a look at the five warning signs of mold in your crawl space, how to get rid of it, and how to keep it from growing back with help from Advanced Systems.

Does Your Crawl Space Have Mold? This is What to Do.

It’s critical to act quickly if you suspect mold growth in your crawl area. the five mold warning symptoms listed below:

• A musty odor: This is frequently the initial indication that mold is present. It’s time to check more closely if you smell must in your crawl space.
• Visible mold: When mold starts to grow, it can be seen on floors, walls, and ceilings.
• Water stains: Mold may be present if you notice water stains on the walls or ceiling of your crawl area.
• Condensation: Excessive humidity can cause condensation on the walls, which can then encourage the growth of mold.
• If the wood in your crawl space is starting to rot, there is likely mold there.

It’s critical to respond right away if you spot any of these symptoms. Your crawl space can be cleaned of mold, but it’s best to consult with a professional to make sure the job is done right.

Getting Rid of Mold in Your Crawl Space

Once the mold has been removed from your crawl space, it’s crucial to take precautions to stop it from returning. To do this, for example:

• Ensuring appropriate ventilation in the area
• Controlling humidity with a dehumidifier
• Fixing any leaks or other water penetration points
• Cleaning and evaluating the area on a regular basis
• To keep moisture out, enclose your crawl area or put down a vapor barrier.

You may lessen the likelihood that mold will grow in your crawl area by performing these actions. You can get help from My Foundation Repairs making sure that your crawl space is adequately aired and mold-free.

If your home has a crawl space, you are aware of how crucial it is to maintain it sealed and insulated. In addition to being a significant source of energy waste, a crawl space can cause moisture issues in your home if it is not properly sealed off. Three methods of enclosing a crawl space will be covered by My Foundation Repairs: insulation, vapor barriers, and crawl space doors. We’ll also go over each technique’s advantages and disadvantages.

Insulation

Insulating your crawl space is one method of enclosing it. You might save money on your energy bills by doing this to keep the room cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Fiberglass and cellulose are the two main forms of insulation that can be utilized in a crawl space. The most popular and straightforward type of insulation is fiberglass. In addition to being manufactured from recycled paper, cellulose is also simple to install. To make sure it’s still working, check it occasionally because it does settle over time.

Vapor Barriers

Installing a vapor barrier in your crawl space is another technique to enclose it. A plastic sheet that covers the ground in your crawl area is a vapor barrier. It aids in preventing rainwater from entering your home through the soil. Vapor barriers come in a variety of thicknesses so you may pick the one that’s best for your home and climate.

Crawl Space Doors

Installing a crawl space door is the third option to enclose your crawl space. The air in your home and the air in your crawl space can be kept apart with the aid of a crawl space door. Animals and pests are also kept out by it. There are many sizes of crawl space doors, so you may pick the one that is best for your house.

Seasonal foundation issues are brought on by melting snow, cold temperatures, and late blizzards. Cold weather can have several different effects on your foundation. Find out how to recognize the warning signs of a foundation that has been harmed by cold weather and how to prevent them in the future.

The Cycle of Freezing and Thawing

In certain places, the winter months are consistently covered in snow and ice. Cycles of freezing and thawing, on the other hand, are significant seasonal foundation issues in regions where the temperature varies throughout the year. Water penetrates into the porous concrete foundation during the thaw period. It expands as it freezes, causing your foundation walls to break. Water then slips into the fractures during the subsequent thaw and repeats the process, causing further harm.

This may also take place if you have a lot of snow that melts gradually over time. Guttering should transport the snow that accumulates on your roof and around your home away from the foundation. The snow melt, on the other hand, will fall right near to your foundation if your gutters are still overflowing with fallen leaves or become clogged by ice. Cracks, sinking, and foundation settlement may result from this.

The Cold Air May Be Drying Out the Soil

The dirt around your foundation is being dried out by the cold winter air, which is another seasonal foundation worry. The soil loses all moisture as the weather gets colder and colder. The earth shrinks and starts to break as it dries up. This indicates that the dirt is moving away from your foundation, leaving it with little to no support, which is exceedingly dangerous for your foundation wall. Your foundation can shift as a result of shrinking soil, which would reduce the stability of your house.

Erosion

Sleet and snowmelt gradually erode the soil surrounding your home as they melt. If you have a slope in your yard to divert water away from your foundation, over time the water might erode the slope and reduce its usefulness. Furthermore, erosion can be brought on by gutters that are improperly installed, have a tendency to overflow, or become clogged because they are not effectively diverting water away from your home.

Are there any bouncy, squishy, or uneven floorboards above your crawlspace? If so, you are aware that sagging floors can be dangerous in addition to being an annoyance. You might be left wondering how much longer my floor can handle all that is on it. The following are some warning indicators.

Signs of Sagging Floors

• The slope of the floors can occasionally leave a space between them and the inside walls.
• There are fissures and holes near door frames.
• Doors either stick or need to be planed down to close correctly.
• Your crawlspace develops gaps between the current columns and girders.

What May Cause This

There’s a fair probability that the floors in your house were level and robust enough when it was constructed. So what caused the issue? Sagging flooring have three basic causes. Understanding them is crucial because only a solution that deals with these underlying issues will result in a long-lasting fix for the issue.

Existing Columns are Spaced Too Far Apart

In order to sustain the weight of the structure above, columns made of block, brick, or wood are positioned all along the crawl space. The beam may sag between columns if those columns are too far apart and get overloaded. Along with it, the girder sags, and the floor above does too.

Floor Joists and Girders Have Weekened

Excess moisture and humidity are an issue in crawl spaces because they are frequently not sealed off from the earth. What happens to wood when it is exposed to moisture and humidity? It starts to decay, grow mold, and deteriorate. The floor surrounding the crawl space becomes bouncy, mushy, and may start to droop when weak girders and floor joists are unable to continue supporting the weight above.

Existing Columns Have Settled

We’ve talked about the issues that soil can create in prior posts, and it applies here as well. The existing columns in the crawl space may sink or settle as a result of weak soil, which frequently leaves a gap between the top of the column and the bottom of the girder it was supporting. When a column settles, the girder sags, which causes the floors above it to sag. It has a domino effect.

Solutions

It’s important to stabilize the foundation of your house. You’ll need to start by locating a skilled, reliable contractor. In response, we are here. We will permanently solve your problem with all of our solutions. There are various options available, some of which are undoubtedly more successful than others. In circumstances like this, ignorance can be dangerous.

The alternatives you have based on the science of foundation repair are summarized in the section that follows so you can make an educated choice. Let’s go over an analysis of the most popular repair services we provide.