Articles and tips about Foundations, of interest to homeowners.
Q: I live in the foothills where my 21-year-old two-storey home is built on a hillside. One end of the house sits on solid granite and the other end sits on landfill. The house has been sinking on the landfill end for the entire 21 years I have lived here, which has created wall cracks, slab cracks, a cracked beam in the attic, door frames that periodically require shaving of the door or latch in order for it to close properly, and other problems. I'd like to know what type of contractor or engineer I should contact in order to have this problem assessed for repairs and costs.
Q: How do I seal a concrete slab foundation that is leaking water into the covering pad and carpet? I know that I likely will have to have new pads or carpets installed, but before I do that, I'd like to know if there is a sealer that will prevent the water from coming up from the ground. Or is there another solution?
A strong foundation is necessary in tackling any construction project. Moisture that enters the home through the foundation walls and floor can lead to problems such as mold growth and can contribute to a variety of health problems for the homeowner.
This information can clarify and help answer some questions about installing a concrete foundation.
Q: The front of my home is supported by two cinder block pillars, creating a five-foot high crawl space, which is under my porch and part of the front bedroom. One pillar has slipped over time and needs to be replaced. I'm not sure if the footing needs to be redone. Will this project require someone to use a house jack to bear the house while work is being done? Who can I trust to take care of this properly for me?
Q: We have had some foundation damage as a result of a flood. We have been advised that we need to have slurry pumped underneath the house, to fill the large voids that were washed away.
Q: The west half of my home is falling from the foundation. I have had two estimates and they are vastly different. One person thinks that I need 13 piers and recommends a concrete piling driven into bedrock or refusal with a lifetime warranty. The other is recommending eight duel shaft concrete, 20-year limited warranty, driven nine feet into rock, which would be a budget saver if I plan to sell my home in the next ten years. Why the difference in the number of pilings?
Q: We have detected several cracks in our cement foundation. Our vinyl flooring is puckering. Is this a serious problem?
The foundation is a vulnerable place for water intrusion. Improper drainage around the foundation is a major cause of leaking foundations. When a drainage system is used in residential construction, it is usually a combination of a gravel drainage layer with a foundation drain, either drain tile or perforated PVC pipe.
Poured concrete foundations are created by pouring concrete into moldings. The footing for the foundation wall is generally wider than the wall, and it must rest on firm soil or on a gravel bed, with the base of the footing below the frost line (or in no-frost areas, at a minimum depth of 12 inches for a one-storey house.) The footing should also have two half-inch reinforcing bars or rebar.
Ask most people if they have a wet basement, and they'll say "no." Ask them if their basement occasionally develops damp spots during very wet weather and the answer is often "yes." Nobody likes to admit to a wet basement problem, but playing games with words won't make the problem go away. In fact, the problem just keeps getting worse.
Q: I am considering waterproofing the basement of my house which is about 30 years old and has a history of flooding. Although it sometimes endures heavy floods without leaking (I had a sump pump installed several years ago), I don't feel comfortable decorating for fear of another flood. I have talked to three waterproofing contractors and find their prices vary considerably for performing the same job.