Maintaining a strong foundation for a home is essential mainly due to the structural problems that can quickly mount if your base is weak or faulty. If you find that that the walls of your home develop cracks or floors begin to bulge or doors refuse to shut properly, these are signs that you need to attend to your home’s foundation and fix it at the earliest. If it becomes really bad you will need to hire a service like Gilbert foundation inspection to stop it from getting worse
Fortunately, not all problems will need you to rip the foundation out as there are a few ways and means to repair a concrete foundation without tearing the whole thing up.
Using Epoxy to treat minor cracks
Over time, some concrete slabs develop hairline cracks. And more often than not, these are minor in nature. To repair, simply cleaned out the cracks to remove any loose debris and then fill with epoxy glue. If you do not have access to epoxy glue or would like an alternative, try silicone caulk which is made especially for the purpose.
Moderating moisture levels
A well known cause for a weakening foundation is the moisture level difference in seasonal temperatures. If your foundation is exposed to harsh sunlight, there is a strong possibility that the shrinking soil in these climatic conditions cause it to weaken. In such cases, we recommend placing a rock bed around 18” to 24” away circling the foundation thus allowing water to penetrate deep into the ground in turn keeping the soil moist.
Keep in mind not to over water the soil. As a rule of thumb, water enough to keep the plants and landscape green.
Keeping a check on the drainage
Another cause of a gradually weakening foundation that can be avoided is by regularly inspecting the gutters and downspouts which should ideally discharge water at least 5 feet away from foundations build on sandy soils.
Similarly for foundations built on expansive soils gutters, the downspouts must be drained at least 10 feet away from the foundation. If there are ground drains present to assist with drainage in low areas it should be placed away from the foundation into a lower elevation area.
Planning for better grading if not already present
‘Grade’ refers to the levels of the ground or elevation on which the foundation of the house rests. This involves the excavation of soil (or building up) to level the surface to support the foundation.
The right grading plan must have slopes in gradual increments of 3-5 feet leading away from the foundation.
Keeping a check on water accumulation around the foundation
Water puddles that are created regularly year after year need to be inspected to better understand how the water seeps away which obviously should be in a direction away from the house. If there has been continuous water logging over the years, a French drain may be needed to be installed to improve the grade around the area of the foundation.
Installation of an Erosion Control System
In the event of the grade being at an extreme level, the erosion maybe also be extreme. To ensure the stability of the slope and to keep the foundation intact, consider installing an Erosion Control System.
Why Steel is the Best Repair Method for Severely Cracked Foundations
In comparing steel to carbon fiber as the best material for repairing foundation walls, we came down mostly on the side of carbon fiber because it can be applied without major disruption, is very cost-effective and almost invisible when cured and painted over. However, the one drawback to the use of carbon fiber is that it is only effective on poured concrete walls that have moved inward two inches or less or on masonry walls where the blocks, stones or bricks have not shifted out of line. A more severely damaged wall will make it too difficult for the carbon fiber strip to adhere and will compromise its strength. You can buy mild steel angle here at Aluminum Warehouse