3 Things That Will Tell You It's Time to Underpin Your House
Without a strong and well-supported foundation, your house cannot hold the weight of the material above the ground. You must ensure that your foundation is structurally sound to avoid unprecedented damage to property and injuries to the occupants. With underpinning, your foundation can be repaired accordingly and its strength restored. The process involves excavating underneath your foundation to determine the cause and nature of the damage. Thereafter, new concrete is re-laid underneath and around the foundation to return the walls and floors to their appropriate position, make the soil stable and offer structural support to the original foundation structure. The following are a few things that will tell you it is time to underpin your house:
Intrusive Tree Roots
As much trees are good for your home's garden, the same cannot be said about them when it comes to your foundation. Particularly, trees growing very close to your house pose a great danger to the foundation. As their roots spread in the soil, they creep into the foundation and impose a lot of pressure on the structure. This leads to cracks that eventually weaken the foundation. Look out for cracks on the walls adjacent to trees and keep an eye on the tress growing near the house for any roots that are protruding above the soil and seem to be growing into the foundation. In such a case, the foundation should be checked and repaired accordingly.
Ground Subsidence
A subsiding ground is another indicator that your house requires underpinning. Here, the ground appears to be sinking underneath the exterior walls of the house. It may also appear to be drifting away from the walls and leaving small trenches around the house. Essentially, heavy rains that wash away lots of soil from the ground area around the house or minor earth tremors that displace soil particles from their original position can cause subsidence. If you notice minor trenches around your walls, then it is time to have the foundation checked and underpinned.
Irregular Floor Levels
Irregular floors can be a result of problems in your foundation. Damage occurs irregularly to the foundation, making some sections of the floors sink gradually while other sections stand up to the weight of the building. This is often accompanied by cracks because the flooring structure lacks uniformity. If you notice irregular floor levels with cracks in your house, then you should call in a specialist to assess and underpin the foundation.
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