Foundation Repair FAQ

Cracks allow dangerous water and soil gases (such as radon) into your home. If not repaired completely, cracks can widen, allowing these waters and gases to thoroughly permeate your interior and cause structural instability in your home. Foundation crack repair not only keeps you safe from slanted doorways, extensive floor, and ceiling damage, and possible building condemnation, it remedies mold and mildew issues as well. Residential mold is among the leading health problems in the U.S., causing millions of people to suffer serious health issues such as asthma, sinus infections, respiratory issues, and even death. A proper, even foundation helps keep mold sources out and your upper floors supported and stable for as long as you own your home.

There are many signs of foundation problems, but none more evident than cracks and fractures in your walls, ceilings, and the house foundation itself. Concrete cracks naturally as it expands during the warmer months and contracts in cold winters. Smaller hairline fractures are expected along the control joints (straight lines for the concrete to crack. However, when these cracks grow to larger than a quarter of an inch, they can be problematic and even cause damage. If you see water seeping in through these cracks, call Everdry Waterproofing for foundation repair immediately. Also, if you notice any warping, elevated spaces, or door jams becoming uneven in places, that can be a sign of foundation damage as well. Finally, when your home’s foundation is uneven or moving, your kitchen and bathroom cabinets and countertops can pull away from the walls due to your settling. This can be a subtle yet important sign as well.

As water infiltrates your home, usually at ground level, it can press against the outside of your foundation. Both the water’s force and the debris accompanying it can cause new cracks to form and existing cracks to widen. Moreover, the power of the water can weaken the structural integrity of your home, causing even the walls to separate from the foundation in disastrous ways. There is also a third source of structural damage that comes from flooding and penetrating groundwater: ice. When water enters your interior, it can cause ice to form and expand. This expansion can create larger holes, cracks, and chips in the foundation and surrounding structure of your home. If you notice any flood, water, or ice damage in the underground areas of your home, contact Everdry Waterproofing for immediate assistance.

You can remodel your home before you repair your foundation, but it is NOT recommended. When your home undergoes foundation repair, it is usually lifted several inches upward. This movement can cause various issues, such as fractures in brick exteriors, tile and sheetrock cracks, and more. Because of these factors, we always recommend fixing any foundational issues BEFORE conducting home renovations. Making your foundation your priority can reduce the potential for damage significantly. Also, you must consider plumbing issues that stem from foundation repair. Be sure you conduct hydrostatic plumbing tests to uncover any damage to the pipe or sewer systems before going forward with additional home renovations.

Unfortunately, foundation repairs can cause new cracks in your drywall to appear. As your home settles back into its original position after foundation repairs are complete, the settling can cause further cracks to appear. These cracks are easily repaired, but to save money and time, we recommend you wait FOUR TO SIX WEEKS after your home has been lifted before repairing brick, drywall, or mortar work. Your patience will allow walls to settle into their new, permanent positions and let any additional work go uninterrupted.

The correct method for foundation repairs will depend on what is causing your issues and your budget. Our company uses the most modern techniques for foundation repairs, including foam jacking, slabjacking/mudjacking, hydraulic jacking, piling, steel piers, helical piers, masonry patches and sealants, epoxy resin, and others. Each repair method offers advantages, and each method matches an appropriate response for the size of the issue. Our team of foundation contractors will work with you to determine the level of damage and make helpful recommendations before completing any work.

The length of time for your foundation repair will depend on the severity of the foundation damage. Your repairs may require deeper footers or excavation, which could lengthen repair times. However, after an initial assessment of your home, our team will complete repairs in TWO TO THREE WEEKS, on average. We advise you to contact us for a personalized estimate.

A builder’s warranty (also known as a structural warranty) generally covers your home’s foundation against damage for up to 10 years. This policy can include damage from soil movement, which accounts for a large majority of claims. But it is important to remember that each state has a Statute of Repose. This policy means you, as the homeowner, are responsible for fixing structural problems caused by foundation damage. Homeowner’s insurance will also cover foundation damage if it is specifically mentioned in your policy. However, almost all policies will exclude floods, earthquakes, and normal wear and tear. Normal wear and tear can include settling, shifting, and cracking in your foundation. It is critical to have a home foundation inspection done on your potential property purchase before you buy. We also highly recommend having one of our foundation specialists come to your home to professionally diagnose any foundation issues and write up a report to use as evidence should you decide to file a claim.

To minimize the damage to your landscaping during foundation repair, catching any issues as early as possible is vital. If you notice a problem with your foundation early, the repairs will be less severe, and the damage to the landscaping around your home will be minimal. However, if your foundation has significant problems, and a foundation repair specialist must tear up your yard to install new piers, your landscaping may need to be uprooted for digging purposes. The good news is our foundation repair experts want to avoid the extra work of undoing all your hard landscaping work and will try to safeguard it if possible.

Most foundation repair work can be done from the outside of your home with minimal interruption to your daily life. That means you can live in your home during foundation repair. However, if the damage is more extensive and our crews must break through an existing slab and dig interior piers, there may be dust, debris, floor removal, and other elements, which would cause you to move out for a short time. If you have small children, or we must dig in a highly trafficked area, it would be wiser to stay somewhere else until the repairs are finished. Everdry Waterproofing takes every measure to ensure that does not happen, but relocation is still a possibility during foundation repair.

There are many steps you can take to maintain a strong foundation around your home:

• Regularly inspect your foundation for damage, cracks, and insects
• Install a proper drainage system around your foundation
• Maintain a proper moisture level around your foundation
• Install a root barrier (if necessary)
• Have your foundation professionally inspected annually