Fort Wayne is no stranger to flooding, being that it is next to Saint Mary’s River, Saint Joseph River and Maumee River. All this potential flood water can mean disaster for your home’s foundation. Indiana soil is a type of loam, which may contain clay or silt, with some areas having a higher clay content. If you head southwest, the soil may become sandy. In Fort Wayne, the loam is a pretty good base for a home’s foundation. That said, no soil type is impervious to water infiltration, and when flooding is involved, the risk for foundation damage increases. Below are common areas our Fort Wayne foundation repair experts address.
Foundation Cracks
You may be able to run inside to escape the rain, but your house can’t. It sits on its foundation, experiencing pressure from soil that has absorbed the water outside the foundation. Water also moves soil around, which can result in a shifting foundation. Any concrete movement, no matter how minute, can cause cracks that allow water in. Once a crack opens, water will enter it and continue to erode the crack until it widens. In addition to rain, you contend with melting snow, snow runoff, and summer humidity. If water already has affected the foundation, these elements will make the problem worse. It is best to seek professional assistance as soon as you notice problems. Indications of water intrusion include cracks, water spots and shifting.
Sagging Floors
Foundation shifting isn’t always obvious. You might expect a large crack to suddenly open in a basement wall or feel like you’re walking at a slight angle, but that isn’t the case. Shifting can result in smaller changes you might not associate with a moving foundation. A sagging floor indicates the floor joists below have moved out of place. One way they move is via foundation shifting. The floor above the joists loses its support once the joists no longer are in their original positions. Along the same line, a home’s ceiling can crack because the framing of the house has shifted. Windows might crack or you may have difficulty opening or closing them. You also could experience problems with doors, such as gaps around the edges or the doorjambs aren’t level. If you have to push hard to latch the door or the latch doesn’t engage because it’s too far from the jamb, it could be a result of a shifting foundation. Some settling is normal after a home’s construction. Even the best foundation or crawl space must be constructed over soil. The weight of the concrete and the building itself creates additional pressure on the soil. This type of movement should be minimal and cause no more than a hairline crack or two. As long as the cracks don’t widen and there are no additional signs of water, you don’t need to worry.
Concrete Damage
If your home’s foundation was not constructed well when it was built, or if your home is older, chances are you’re experiencing issues with water. Concrete slabs should be level and poured over compacted earth. If the construction company did not tamp down the soil correctly, shifting will occur, if it hasn’t already. Acculevel has solutions for a concrete slab that is not level. Slabjacking involved drilling small holes in the slab, then injecting an expandable foam under the slab. This foam fills any air pockets moving soil has created, stabilizing the area under the concrete. Slabjacking is cost effective and efficient.
Basement Leaks
Mold is a major health concern when it’s located in your basement. In nature, there are a slew of mold types that don’t do anything to humans, but the mold growing in your basement is not one of them. Mold thrives in moisture, so if it’s showing up in your basement, it means you have water problems that may not be visible to the naked eye. Acculevel has a variety of solutions to prevent water intrusion and damage. Our systems effectively redirect water away from your basement using sturdy tracks, channels, and sump pumps. Never attempt to remove mold yourself. Instead, call a professional mold remediator such as Acculevel. Acculevel is certified to remove mold in Indiana. If you try to DIY mold removal, you likely will end up spreading the spores. Mold also hides. It can be in crevices or in the ceiling, and unless you know what you are looking for, you will miss it. Acculevel uses a fungicide to kill mold and prevent future growth. Breathing in mold can cause respiratory and skin issues for some; for those already with breathing difficulties such as asthma, emphysema and allergies, mold will make it worse. Children and the elderly also are at higher risk of problems associated with mold contamination.
Call a Professional
Filling cracks may seem like a simple DIY undertaking, but it’s best to leave even the smallest water damage to the pros at Acculevel. To shore up a foundation, a basement specialist may employ helical piers and/or tiebacks. These add extra support to a bowing foundation, as do carbon-fiber straps that go on the inside of the walls. Some repairs are more expensive than others, but it’s important to repair your foundation or basement the right way to prevent more expensive damage repairs in the future. A wall crack may be small now, but if left alone, it will widen and affect the structural integrity of the foundation. The wall eventually might start to bow. This would require a more invasive repair than fixing the original crack would have required. Acculevel is in your area and ready to help you with your
Indiana foundation repair needs. Our dedicated staff has the skills, knowledge and experience to handle any issue associated with water damage and foundation settling. From hairline cracks to major slab shifting, we can fix it. If you live in the Fort Wayne area and would like to schedule a free in-home estimate,
contact us today.
