Settlement: Downward movement of the foundation.Bad soil, or soil that is too wet around the foundation, can cause the foundation to crack and lead to other foundation problems such as: Learn more about the foundation inspection pricing, or reach out for a quote below.įree Quote: Get your quote on foundation repair today What Are Foundation Cracks?įoundation cracks are one of the most common foundation problems. Gaps appear between the base molding and the floor covering, especially if the gaps are wider at some points.Cracks appear at the corners of door frames and window frames, especially if the cracks are wider at the top.Tip: You can test if your floor is level by placing a marble on it.Floors that were once level are now noticeably out of level.Windows and doors that once operated properly now stick, rub, or do not open or close properly.Note that these symptoms can have other causes, too. Here are some indicators to look for that may indicate a foundation problem. Note that garage floors in basement foundations are often concrete slabs-on-stem walls. The concrete may be thicker at load-bearing points inside the walls, but aside from these points, the rest of the slab is not considered a structural load-bearing element. The area inside the walls is backfilled, and a thin slab of concrete is poured on top. Walls are built on the footings to a point where the foundation is level and high enough to allow water to drain away from the foundation. Concrete Slab-on-Stem WallĪ slab-on-stem wall foundation is built by digging footings around the perimeter of the building to below the frost line. Then, a thin, nonstructural slab of concrete is poured over the rest of the foundation (a monolithic slab). In cold climates, footings are dug around the perimeter of the building to below the frost line. Mat slabs are used only in warm climates where the frost line is near the surface. The entire mat slab is effectively a footing. The concrete may be a thick slab of uniform depth (a mat slab). Concrete Slab-on-GradeĪ slab-on-grade foundation is built by removing the topsoil, leveling the soil, and pouring concrete on top. Crawl space foundation wall materials are concrete blocks and bricks. Crawl SpaceĪ crawl space is an area below the living areas with a ceiling height of less than 7 feet. Common basement foundation wall materials in older homes are bricks and stones. The basement floor is usually a nonstructural slab of concrete, although a basement may have soil as the floor.Ĭommon basement foundation wall materials use poured concrete and concrete blocks in newer houses. BasementĪ basement is often defined as an area mostly below ground and has a ceiling height of at least 7 feet. Knowing your foundation type and materials is helpful to make the most educated assessment when evaluating foundation problems. Several types of foundations can have unique problems.
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