What Causes Foundation Settlement?
The foundation of your home supports the structure and ensures that it stays stable and safe. When the foundation is damaged, it can cause major problems throughout the home.
It’s important to note that many of us don’t think about our foundation until we notice a problem. One of the most common problems for slab-on-grade foundations that our team here in Kansas City sees is foundation slab settlement.
Slab settlement occurs in a few specific cases, all involving changes in the soil supporting the foundation. Poorly compacted soil is the main reason that slab settlement occurs. Untouched soil has been compacted for hundreds, if not thousands, of years and is stable enough to hold up foundations.
However, most homes will be built with piering systems or some type of support to assure that the soil will not be disturbed and cause problems with the home’s foundation. When this doesn’t happen, we encounter foundation slab settlement. Many Kansas City area homes and businesses we’ve seen have settlement problems to the point where you may start seeing floors sloping, cracks, or other issues.
Another reason for slab settlement is a change in the amount of moisture in the soil. When the home was first built, the soil may have been perfectly fine to support it. However, over time, dramatic changes in moisture could cause the soil to be unstable. Think about a cabin on the river. Over time, the river may flood, or erosion may occur with water in the soil. This can lead to settlement as the foundation is no longer adequately supported.
Signs Your Foundation May Be Settling
- Cracks in the wall, especially by doors or windows
- Cracks in your concrete floor, driveway, or sidewalk
- Floors “dropping” or pulling away from walls, causing a slight gap
- “Sticking” doors or windows not caused by excess moisture or swelling
Foundation Settlement Repair Methods
So you’ve had a professional come out to look at your property, and they’ve determined that you have slab settlement–what now? What are the repair options and slab settlement solutions we offer in Kansas City? Underpinning!
We offer people in and around Kansas City underpinning options that include a piering system, helical piers, or another option based on their specific situation. Underpinning takes your existing foundation and supports it with strong, steel piers that are driven into the ground and then attached to it. The load is transferred to the piers, and the slab settlement issues are gradually corrected.
Whether your foundation repair contractor in Kansas City will utilize steel push piers, helical piers, or another option will be down to your specific situation. However, in general, the difference between steel push piers and helical piers is slight. Push piers are driven deep into the ground and attached, and helical piers are also driven into the ground, but they have a spiral structure to make sure that the hold is stronger. They are then attached to the building’s foundation as well.
Slab settlement is one of the most common foundation repair issues, and we deal with it frequently. We treat our customers like family and will answer any questions you have. After the job, we clean up the work site to look better than when we arrived. We do not cut corners, and we are a respected Kansas City area foundation slab settlement repair, foundation repair & basement waterproofing company.
We also provide the following services:
Get a Foundation Settlement Inspection in Kansas City
If you suspect your foundation is settling, the first step is determining what is causing the movement and how severe it is. Cracks in floors or walls, uneven floors, sticking doors, and gaps around windows can all be signs of foundation settlement, but the right repair depends on the underlying problem.
KC Waterproofing can inspect your Kansas City home, evaluate signs of settlement, and determine whether foundation settlement repair is needed. If repairs are recommended, we’ll explain the available options, including underpinning and pier systems, so you can make an informed decision about your home.
Don’t wait for settlement problems to get worse. Contact KC Waterproofing to schedule a foundation inspection and get a free estimate for the recommended repairs.
