Monday, February 4, 2013

Foundation Issues

Cracks can be very anoying, but it's important to know what is causing the crack and the severity of the problem.
Cracks are mostly caused by small movements in the foundation generally enhanced by long wet and dry spells.  Here in North Texas, it is worsened by the blackland clay that tends to move much more than typical topsoil.
  Some cracks are caused by extreme heat causing wood to twist and buckle, more common in houses that have poor insulation.
  Take care in bringing in people to give you estimates on repairs, many companies make a living off of selling fear.
   When possible, use a company that a friend had good results with.  Get several companies to look it over and see if they all see the same problems. All estimates should be free.
  If you need actual repairs, try to use a company that has been in business a long time and guarantes their work.
Happy Spending!!

Below are 2 examples in a house we are working in today with a moderate to severe foundation problem.  The slab has moved so much that the sheetrock was actually sheered off in a couple places.  Only half of the doors even came close to closing.

  The foundation dropped in one area leaving large cracks under the baseboards.

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