Extreme Heat and Cold Can Affect Your Home’s Foundation
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As temperatures rise and fall, your home is in a constant state of flux. The delicate balance between heat, moisture, soil composition, harsh weather, and freezing temperatures can trigger movement in the ground surrounding your home. In his book, 'Foundation Repair Secrets: Learn How to Protect Yourself and Save Thousands,' Bob Brown, a certified Foundation Repair Specialist, helps property owners, contractors, and engineering professionals understand the connection between extreme weather and foundation stability.
From parched clay soils during dry weather to harsh winter weather and the frost heave, to saturated ground that suddenly swells when the temps turn during the winter season, the dynamics of heat and cold play a direct role in your home.
Heat vs. Moisture vs. Freezing Temperatures
"Heat and cold affect the moisture, and moisture is the catalyst for soil movement," shares Brown. "In warmer or dryer times, you may have clays drying up and shrinking in warm weather. In wetter, cold weather, you may have clays swelling or non-cohesive soils consolidating."
He adds, "Knowing the historical annual precipitation will help you understand performance given recent dry or wet conditions. In typically wet areas, like Houston or New Orleans, additional moisture is not going to do much. However, hotter dryer spells in these environments could have a large effect on inducing settlement."
"Similarly, in traditionally hotter, dryer climates, such as Phoenix, Western Washington, and Oregon, or California’s Inland Empire, additional moisture along with colder times could make a lot of difference in activating and adding additional moisture to dry clay soils inducing heave. Seasonal differences can make these soils yo-yo with downward and upward movement through the seasons."
Related: 5 Ways to Identify a House With Foundation Issues—We Hadn’t Considered #2
How do drainage issues cause foundation damage?
Water damage can have significant ramifications on your home's structural integrity.
Improper drainage can lead to excess moisture accumulation around the foundation wall, which in turn can cause soil expansion and contraction. This expansion and contraction can exert pressure on the walls, leading to cracks, shifting, or even structural damage over time.
Additionally, poor drainage can contribute to soil erosion, further compromising its integrity.
Proper soil grading can help prevent expensive foundation repairs and prevent water damage around a basement foundation
French drains in driveways and sidewalks can also prevent excess water runoff
Red Flags
Common signs of foundation issues include:
Foundation cracks. You can usually check the condition inside and out. Keep an eye out for changes in the stone or concrete foundation and its surrounding mortar.
Doors and windows that don’t operate properly. Sometimes the doors or windows will stick, torqued by structural damage. You might even be able to tell if they're visibly out of square.
Drywall cracks. In severe cases, the drywall in your home can show signs of damage.
Sloping floors. If you suspect a change such as foundation settlement, place a ball on the floor and see what happens. Do this in various areas of your house to test for levelness.
Cracks in the floors. Cracks in the tile or its mortar can be a warning sign. You may even begin to feel changes beneath wall-to-wall carpeting. Additionally, if your entire foundation floor is visible in a basement, watch for changes
The area has a history of problems. Some areas are more problematic than others. "For example, in some parts of Dallas or Houston it’s only a matter of time before every house has problems," warns Brown. "Some parts of Phoenix are problematic, and some parts are not. Knowing which are problematic can help you keep an eye out for problems."
Related: Will it Take Longer to Schedule Home Repairs in 2024?
