When keeping your home in good condition, you always want to avoid any issue with its foundation. The foundation is the most important part of a home since it supports all of the weight of the house and ensures everything is structurally sound. With winter fast approaching, you must understand how winter weather can potentially result in foundation damage. That way, you know what issues to watch for and what it takes to protect your home’s foundation.
How Snowfall and Heavy Rains Can Affect a Foundation
Charlotte is quite rainy compared to many other parts of the country. Many people are surprised to learn that Charlotte gets more rainfall on average per year than Seattle. While we typically get less rain in winter than at other times of the year, a big storm always has the potential to cause damage to a home’s foundation.
One concern with rain (or unusually heavy snowfall) is that all the moisture soaking into the ground can cause the soil around a foundation to expand. This expansion puts additional pressure on the foundation’s walls, sometimes leading to concrete cracking. In severe cases, the soil can put so much pressure on a foundation wall that it starts to bow inward in the middle.
Another issue is that the soil then contracts again when it dries out. This continual expansion and contraction can sometimes result in the soil around the foundation eroding and the foundation walls no longer adequately supported. A lack of support can then potentially lead to one of the walls bowing outward due to the weight of the house.
Waterlogged soil or erosion can also lead to the foundation settling or shifting. When this happens, you’ll usually end up with some of the sheetrock in your house cracking. It’s especially common for diagonal cracks to form that extend out from the top corners of window and door frames. In cases where the foundation experiences significant shifting or settling, it can threaten the home’s structural integrity and potentially put it at risk of collapsing. While this is rare, it does happen, especially if the house was poorly built or the foundation wasn’t properly designed.
One common issue that increases the chances of a foundation being damaged is when the home’s gutters are clogged with leaves and debris. If your gutters are blocked and can’t drain properly, they can overflow. That means all the water will drip straight down and pool next to your foundation instead of draining further away from your house. All of the water then increases the chances of the soil eroding or settling. Concrete is also porous enough that the water around the foundation can seep inside your house and damage your walls and floors.
While it’s less common in our area since we typically don’t get much snow, clogged gutters or insufficient insulation in your attic can cause ice dams to form on your roof. Not only can ice dams damage your roof and gutters, but they can also prevent your gutters from draining. That means you again end up with the snowmelt dripping straight down and soaking into the soil along the foundation.
The Impact of Temperature Fluctuations on a Foundation
Freeze-thaw cycles caused by the temperature fluctuating throughout the winter can damage a home’s foundation. In many parts of the country, the ground freezes early in winter and tends to remain fully frozen until it finally starts warming up in early spring. In North Carolina, the top layer of soil often freezes and thaws. It can get cold enough at night that the ground starts to freeze before quickly thawing back as the temperature rises the next day.
The issue with freeze-thaw cycles is that they also result in the soil expanding and contracting. When wet soil freezes, the water it contains causes the ground to expand as it turns to ice. The soil contracts once it warms up enough for the ice to melt.
How to Spot the Signs of Foundation Damage
Foundation damage or issues like shifting and settling are a serious concern because other parts of your home can also suffer damage. That’s why you should ensure you understand what to look for to know when to contact a professional.
Cracks above windows and doors typically indicate that your home’s foundation is shifting or settling. If your home has any additions, you’ll often see vertical or horizontal cracks along the wall or ceiling where the addition connects to the original part of the house. These cracks indicate that the original foundation or the foundation underneath the addition has shifted or settled.
Another thing to watch is if a concrete porch or patio is pulling away from your house, resulting in a gap between the concrete and your home. When such concrete structures are poured, they’re usually secured to the house by drilling holes into the foundation and then driving in pieces of steel rebar. If a noticeable gap develops, it’s often a sign that the foundation has shifted.
If you have a basement or your home has an upper level, foundation issues can also cause upheaval or sagging, resulting in a bulge or a low spot on the main or upper floor. This happens because one of the support beams underneath the floor moves up or down along with the foundation.
The biggest thing to watch out for are cracks in your foundation or a pronounced inward or outward bow in a foundation wall. If you notice these issues, it’s important you schedule an inspection as soon as possible.
The Importance of Having Your Foundation Inspected Before Winter
The best way to ensure your foundation is in good condition and ready to handle the winter weather is to inspect it professionally. The experts at RhinoLift Foundation Solutions can quickly identify potential issues with your foundation. That way, you can get any problems fixed before they become much more serious or cause damage to your house. Our team will also check for issues like soil erosion or poor soil compaction that can create a risk of foundation issues arising in the future.
We specialize in foundation repairs and concrete lifting and offer a range of other services that can help protect your home and everything in it. This includes waterproofing your basement to prevent water damage, crawl space encapsulation to help make your home more energy efficient, sinkhole repair, and soil stabilization.
RhinoLift Foundation Solutions serves customers throughout the Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham areas, and our experienced team has the knowledge, experience, and ability to handle any foundation issues your home may have. When you choose us, you can trust our experts will quickly determine what’s causing your foundation issues and provide the most effective solution for overcoming the problem. We take pride in offering reliable, long-lasting solutions, transparent communication, and exceptional customer service.
Contact RhinoLift Foundation Solutions today to get the professional support and advice you need.
