Foundation Heave

Foundation heave is the upward movement of your foundation which can result in other structural problems in your home. This type of movement of the foundation slab is typically caused because of constant rain and flooding which changes the integrity of the soil beneath your slab.

The warning signs of a foundation heave are pretty easy to spot. We suggest keeping an eye on the following warning signs that may indicate foundation heave:

• Cracks in Your Interior Walls
• Cracks in Your Concrete Floor
• Uneven Concrete Slab Sections
• Misaligned Door and Window Frames

If you’ve noticed any of these warning signs, we suggest giving us a call to give you peace of mind that the structural integrity of your home.

When different soil types are subjected to flooding and evaporation, the soil can swell and shrink to double or even triple their original size. This can cause the soil to become weakened over time, and when combined with large volumes of water, can cause the concrete slab to heave upward.

Soil erosion occurs when the your soil is washed away by water or swept away by wind. Soil erosion an increase the volume of water that enters underneath your foundation’s concrete slabs, creating pressure underneath your foundation which results in foundation heave.

Frost heave refers to water underneath your slab freezing over. As you know water grows when it freezes, meaning when water freezes underneath your slab it exerts a lot of pressure, making your foundation heave upward. Frost heave usually takes a lot of time and multiple seasons of repeated freezing before you will notice the negative effects.

If you experience a major plumbing leak or burst pipes beneath your home, the large amounts of water seeping into the soil under your foundation, along with speed of the leak, can cause foundation heave.