Foundation Waterproofing

You found your dream home and moved in. A serious foundation problem was certainly not something you hoped for when you invested in your home. But there's help available.

Warning Signs

When we're shopping for a home, we're often thinking with our hearts, and looking at practicalities later. That's why it's a prudent step to hire a home inspector once you've picked a prospective home. Most of the time, the signs of home foundation problems are fairly apparent, both inside and out. Interior warning signs include cracks in walls, misaligned door and ceiling moldings, misaligned windows or doors that stick or won't open, floors cracking or out-of-level, and basement walls that leak, are cracked, or displaced. On the outside, look for cracked brick or cinder block, a cracked foundation or gaps around windows and doors.

Foundation Cracks

Cracks in a foundation are significant, but they don't mean the end of a possible sale; nor should you move from an existing home for this reason. It's not uncommon to see cracks in walls and foundations. These cracks are often dormant and caused during the initial settling of the structure after it was built. Examining the patterns of a foundation crack can be informative. In walls, vertical cracks are less likely to be structural in nature. Horizontal and tailing, or "step down" cracks can be signs of structural failure. One way to determine if a wall is still moving or settling is to measure the crack. You can also monitor the crack simply by continuing to measure it at regular intervals.

Leaky Basements and Your Home Foundation

Leaky basements are one of the most common problems homeowners face. Not only does water threaten to damage your furniture and equipment, it also threatens the strength of your foundation system. All homeowners need to have the basics in their bag of tricks: waterproofing sealants, sump pumps, and new drains. Basement problems are not always easy to fix. Unless you're really familiar with the situation and have experience, your best tool is a good contractor.

Basement Leaks

Poor grading around the foundation of a home causes storm water to drain towards instead of away from the house. This is a major cause of foundation problems, and one best addressed in the construction phase. Foundation settlement causes cracks in basement walls, which in turn facilitate the intrusion of water. Since the causes and solutions for every basement problem are a little different, it is important to find an experienced contractor to help resolve the problem.