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Poor drainage can have serious consequences for your foundation and home. It’s important to understand the effects of poor drainage and take steps to correct it before it causes significant damage. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the impact of poor drainage on your foundation and home, and what you can do to prevent it.

What is the Impact of Poor Drainage on your Home?

1. Damage to the Foundation: Poor drainage can lead to water infiltration, which can cause cracks and settling in your foundation. This can lead to structural damage and even collapse if left untreated. Additionally, water that accumulates around the foundation can also lead to mold growth, which can be harmful to your health.
2. Flooding: Water that doesn’t drain properly can also lead to flooding. This not only causes damage to your personal belongings, but it can also lead to mold growth, which can be harmful to your health.
3. Damage to Landscaping and Lawns: Poor drainage can also cause damage to your landscaping and lawns. Water that doesn’t drain properly can lead to erosion, which can cause damage to your lawn, plants, and trees. Additionally, water that accumulates in low-lying areas can lead to the growth of unwanted plants and weeds.
4. Decrease in Property Value: The damage caused by poor drainage can also decrease the value of your property. Potential buyers may be turned off by the damage caused by poor drainage, and the cost of repairs can be significant.

Steady House Foundation Repair Can Help!

Preventing poor drainage is crucial for protecting your foundation and home. If you suspect that you have poor drainage on your property, it’s important to address it as soon as possible. At Steady House Foundation Repair, we offer professional drainage correction services to ensure that your foundation and home are protected from the effects of poor drainage. For more information, please contact us today!

The foundation is one of the essential structural parts of your home. But, it is often overlooked by many homeowners. If left unchecked, it can develop serious problems that can be scary with costly repairs and even lead to your house’s collapse. Nevertheless, most foundation problems are easy to notice and can be fixed easily with the help of a home foundation repair expert.

Read on to learn what to look for and how to get them fixed:

Why Are Regular Foundation Checks Essential?

Here are a few reasons why it’s beneficial to undertake regular foundation checks in your home:

Earlier Detection of Problems Can Save You Money

If foundation problems are detected earlier enough, they will cost much less to repair. But, if left unattended, the situation will only worsen and require extensive and costly repairs.

It Can Help Improve Protection Against Structural Damage in Natural Disasters

The homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan have a higher risk of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes which can cause significant damage to your property. Regular checks and proper maintenance of your home’s foundation will help make your home’s structure unshakable and keep your loved ones safe should a disaster occur.

It Can Help Prolong the Life of Your Home’s Foundation

Regular foundation checks can help ensure that your home’s foundation is in good condition for years to come. In addition, regular inspections will also help prevent foundation problems and keep your foundation strong for several years.

How to Know It’s Time to Seek Help

It’s essential to seek professional help if you notice any of the following signs in your home:

• Uneven or sloping floors in your house
• Tile cracks
• Exterior cracks in walls and bricks
• Cracking in the home’s foundation
• Any gaps or spaces between your walls and the floor or ceiling
• Cracking in your home’s flooring
• Separation of window/door frames from the wall
• Cracks around windows or doors
• Cracking in the flooring of your home

 

Foundation Repair and Maintenance Experts in DFW Area

Steady House Foundation Repair is your best choice if you’re looking for foundation repair and maintenance experts in Dallas-Fort Worth. We have years of experience in the maintenance and repair of foundation problems. Contact us today to schedule your home’s foundation evaluation or seek advice.

The primary purpose of a house foundation is to hold the building up, act as a stabilizer against side movement, and bear the heavy load. It should be solid and well-designed to ensure durability and stand against the forces of nature, such as floods and strong winds. To the surprise of many, water is one of the culprits for damaged foundations. So how does water get to the foundation, and what impact does it have?

Where is This Water Coming From?

There are multiple ways through which water gets to your home’s foundation and leads to slow damage of the foundation. Below is a list of some of the most probable channels.

• Water flowing naturally from a nearby bedrock
• Leaking water lines beneath your house
• Blocked gutters that don’t effectively redirect the water away from the foundation
• Poor water drainage systems around the house
• Sloped landscaping that directs water to your home
• Heavily watered flowerbed alongside the foundation
• Flash floods that come after a prolonged drought
• Nearby tree roots that pull in moisture

What Does Water do to the Foundation?

Constant Pressure

Excessive water that collects around your foundation during the rainy season will cause the soil to swell and push against it. During the dry season, the water evaporates, relieves that pressure, and causes the soil to shrink. This constant shift between the rainy and dry seasons causes structural damage to the foundation.

Erosion

Rainwater can wash away soil surrounding your home and under the foundation causing it to settle or sink. This is common in areas that experience heavy rains or flash floods, such as Texas. Take caution and seek corrective measures from professionals when such signs are visible.

Water Infiltration

Even though walls are thick, water will finally find its way past them due to hydrostatic pressure. Over time, water will seep past pore cement, creating more cracks and into the house, leading to structural damage and health issues.

Signs of Damaged Foundation

• Cracks and horizontal fissures
• Musty Odor in the house
• Mold on the walls
• Discolored foundation
• Bubbling Paint

Talk to an expert today

If you live in Dallas/ Fort Worth, TX area and find any of these signs, don’t hesitate because it could lead to unimaginable structural damage. At Steady House Foundation Repair, we are experienced and ready to solve your concrete and foundation needs. Contact us today to schedule a foundation repair estimate or ask for advice on how to repair it.

If you are having issues with an abundance of water near or around your home, then you may want to consider hiring a professional to come and install a French drain for you. A French drain is a trench that is dug around the area where the water issues are, and it has a perforated pipe inside of it. This pipe helps to divert water through the trench and away from the areas where it may be causing damage. Here are two reasons why you need a French drain.

Your Lawn Is Soggy

If you notice that your lawn is often soggy, then it is a good idea to have a French drain installed. This constant water on your lawn will not only cause damage to your grass, a great deal of mud, and increased risk of slipping and falling, but it also can cause damage to your foundation, if the water is left to sit and eventually pool around the base of your house. This sitting water can cause damage to your foundation, which can be completely avoided with the installation of a French drain.

Your Driveway Is Flooding

If you find that your driveway is flooding every time that it rains, you run the sprinklers, etc., then a French drain may be very helpful for this as well. Instead of having the water pool in your driveway and around your home, a French drain can direct the water so that it avoids these areas entirely and instead goes to the road. This again stops the water from pooling around your home and causing foundational issues.

To learn more reasons why you may need a French drain, or to hire a professional to come and install one for you, visit us today at Steady House Foundation Repair. Call us today!

Your house’s foundation exists to offer structural integrity to the house. The foundation evenly distributes the house’s weight to the ground, making it strong. When the structure is compromised, it can lead to costly repairs or, worse, causing it to collapse. When this happens, it can be stressful for homeowners, especially if they do not have home insurance. The fact of the matter is that foundation issues must be dealt with as soon as possible to protect your investment. Here is all you need to know about foundation heave.

What is a Foundation Heave?

The rise and displacement of a foundation caused by saturated, expanding soils are known as foundation heave. It is typically caused by plumbing leaks, seasonal moisture increases, or subterranean aquifers. Therefore, foundation heave raises your house floor.

What are the Major Signs of a Foundation Heave?

Fissures on the Concrete Floor

Concrete floor fractures may also result from a foundation heave. This occurs as a result of the foundation’s strong pressure being exerted on the concrete as well as the floors of your lounge. You can find these cracks outside at your doorway, on your porch, or close to your garage. If the foundation shift is severe enough, you may also uncover cracks within your home, especially close to the front entrance.

Wall Cracks

Since your walls are sitting on top of the foundation, foundation heave can significantly alter your home. Cracks appearing on your home’s interior walls is one of the warning signals you could face during the early stages of foundation heave. The external walls of your home may have cracks, but this is rare.

What Are the Causes of Foundation Heave?

Soil Erosion

Sand and loam soils are more frequently affected by soil erosion. When soil is exposed to water or the wind, it is carried away, causing soil erosion. As with clay soil’s shrink-swell cycles, soil erosion can generate foundation tilt in an essentially identical manner. The amount of water that seeps into the ground beneath the concrete slabs of your foundation can grow as a result of soil erosion.

Repeated Soil Shrink-Swell Cycles

Based on how much moisture they absorb, clay soil particles expand to sizes that are both double and triple their initial size when they become saturated. In contrast, these clay soil particles contract to their usual size as water evaporates from them. Over time, the soil may suffer severe weakness as a result of repeated shrink-swell cycles. Concrete slabs may heave upward if the soil beneath your foundation contains a lot of water.

How Can a Foundation Heave Be Fixed?

Fixing a foundation heave is no child’s play. Fortunately, professionals (contact us) offer a wide range of solutions depending on the homeowner’s space, budget, and needs.

Pier System

The Push Pier, the Slab Pier, and the Helical Pier Systems are three alternative pier systems that professionals offer to help repair foundation heave. The weight that it can sustain and the installation method are the key distinctions between all of these.

A foundation heave, if left unchecked, can be catastrophic. No homeowner should have to suffer because of a foundation heave. You can trust the team at Steady House Foundation Repair for all foundation repairs, from simple to more complex. Contact us today for more information.

 

The foundation of your home is one of the essential parts of the structure. It is responsible for supporting the weight of the house and everything in it! Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the foundation is in good condition and not susceptible to problems. There are ways to prevent foundation problems, and this article will discuss five of the most effective methods.

1. Improve Drainage around the Foundation
One of the best ways to prevent foundation problems in expansive clay soil environments is to improve the drainage around the foundation. Installing gutters and downspouts to direct water away from the foundation and grading the ground around the foundation to slope away from the house can help. Additionally, you can install a French drain around the foundation to help keep the area dry.

2. Install Foundation Vents to Allow Air Circulation and Prevent Moisture Buildup
Another way to prevent foundation problems is to install foundation vents. These vents allow air circulation and help prevent moisture buildup in the foundation. Additionally, they can help to keep the foundation cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, which can help to prevent the foundation from shifting.

3. Use a Foundation Sealer to Help Waterproof the Foundation
One way to help waterproof the foundation is to use a foundation sealer. This sealer will help to prevent water from seeping into the foundation and causing damage. It can also help prevent mold and mildew from growing in the foundation.

4. Install Expansion Joints to Allow for Movement of the Foundation
Another way to prevent foundation problems is to install expansion joints. These joints allow for movement of the foundation and help to prevent cracking. Additionally, they can help absorb some of the stress placed on the foundation.

5. Regularly Monitor the Foundation for Any Signs of Movement or Cracking
Finally, it is essential to regularly monitor the foundation for any signs of movement or cracking. This can be done by hiring a foundation contractor to perform an annual inspection. Additionally, you can check the foundation monthly for any cracks or movement.

Final Word
In conclusion, there are several ways to prevent foundation problems in expansive clay soil environments. Some of these include improving drainage around the foundation, installing foundation vents, using a foundation sealer, and installing expansion joints. Additionally, it is important to regularly monitor the foundation for any signs of movement or cracking. Please, do not hesitate to contact us! Our teams are also more than happy to answer any of your questions along the way.

If you have recently repaired your old or damaged foundation, you are probably thinking of how avoid additional damages and unnecessary future routine repairs. Well, you can now stop worrying as these smart tips are meant to help you keep it is as safe as possible after you are through with carrying out the repairs.

1. Install Your Gutters and Downspouts Correctly

Properly installed gutters play a huge role in preventing water damage by diverting rainwater or runoff away from the foundation. Ensure that your gutter is cleared of leaves, twigs, mud and other types of debris at all times in order to prevent clogs, especially during the rainy days.

2. Keep Your Plumbing in Check

Broken pipes, toilets or sinks that leak around or underneath your newly repaired foundation can cause more serious problems. To be on the safe side, it’s important that you have the issue fixed at the earliest possible time.

3. Invest in Good Drainage

Once you have seen to it that your gutters and downspouts are perfectly in place, you need to build a surface drainage system and/or French drain. These drains are meant to help you prevent pooling by transporting or leading water away from your home. Make sure that the drains slope away from your home for effective functionality.

4. Get Rid of Nearby Trees

Big trees and shrubs that grow near your house can cause extensive damage your foundation and water pipes with their large extending roots. Apart from causing cracks and breakages, these roots can also absorb lots of water that surround your foundation as they continue to expand, which can lead to soil instability.

The best way to ensure that your foundation is repaired and maintained the right way is by seeking the help of a professional repair company with highly qualified experts. Contact Steady House Foundation Repair today to schedule a free consultation or estimate.

When rainwater flows through your downspout, it’s essential to divert it away from your house. The water will saturate the ground near your home if you don’t divert the water. When the ground is saturated, the foundation is at risk. How do you resolve this?

Downspout Extender

One of the low-cost and easiest ways to divert the water away from your house is to install downspout extenders. Here we will discuss two types of extenders. The rigid type extender and the accordion type extender.

The Rigid Type Downspout Extender

This type of extender is made of either aluminum or plastic. The plastic versions are usually made of vinyl.

Rigid extenders are mounted on the end of the downspout elbow and secured with screws.

Optionally, remove the elbow, mount the extender on the end of the downspout, and screw it in place. This type might come with a clip. Screw the clip to the downspout in the proper position. The extender can then fold up, and the clip holds it. This allows for easy mowing and raking. Just don’t forget to lower the extender when you have finished.

Accordion Type Downspout extender

Accordion extenders are made of plastic. This type usually comes with two different size connections, one on each end. After selecting the correct size connector, screw it to the downspout elbow. If you wish, cut off the unused connector.

One advantage of the accordion extender is that it is flexible. That way, you can route it around your plants or other items.

Protect Your Foundation

As mentioned above, by not diverting rainwater away from your house, the water can saturate and erode the soil. Over time the ground saturation can cause settling and cracking of your foundation. Repairing your foundation can be expensive.

Installing downspout extenders on all your house downspouts can save you from costly foundation repairs.

More Information

Drainage correction is essential. Contact Steady House Foundation Repair the foundation repair experts and provider of a wide variety of foundation repair services and drainage systems to protect your home.

Your home is one of your most significant investments, so you want to do everything you can to protect it. That includes making sure the foundation is in good shape. If you’re considering getting a foundation repair service, you probably want to know the methods we will use to repair your foundation and whether they will be effective.

Types of Foundation Repair Methods

There are several types of foundation repair methods available to homeowners, depending on the severity and cause of the damage. Some common methods include pier and beam, slab jacking, sills and jacking systems, and injection systems.

1. Pier and Beam:

If your home’s foundation is leaning or sagging in any direction, a pier and beam might be a good option for you. Piers (or columns) will be placed along each side of the house where it needs support, and beams that span between them will hold up your house’s frame.

1. Slabjacking:

For serious foundation issues that need more support than just steel or wood beams can provide, there’s slab jacking! Rather than jacking up the whole house, this technique injects grout under the entire concrete floor so that all four sides are supported.

1. Sills and Jacking Systems:

The first step in repairing your foundation using sill and jack systems is lifting the home off its crawlspace. Then, adjustable hydraulic jacks are set beneath the house’s perimeter to gradually raise it off the ground.

After being raised far enough off the ground, new joists and a sill plate will be added beneath it before slowly lowering the building back onto its new footing until it is flush with its original height.

1. Injection Systems:

A typical injection system involves drilling holes through your foundation’s floor at strategic locations, filling those holes with high-pressure grout, and plugging them with steel sleeves.

As with most other forms of foundation repair, this method is best performed by professionals who know what they’re doing.

Signs Your Foundation Needs Repair

One common sign of foundation problems is cracked walls or floors. These cracks can be caused by various factors, including settling, soil expansion and contraction, and poor drainage. If you notice any cracks, it’s important to have them evaluated by a foundation repair specialist to determine the best course of action.

It’s also worth noting that while they may not always seem like an emergency, there are some circumstances when they do require immediate attention. For example, if water is pooling on your property because of a crack in your foundation, then this is an emergency situation that needs to be handled right away.

Professional Foundation Repair in the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX Area

At Steady House Foundation Repair, we provide a variety of foundation repair services to homeowners and businesses in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We have years of experience in the field and offer competitive pricing for our residential and commercial customers.

Contact us today to schedule a repair evaluation or get your free estimate.

Homeowners who experience saturated yards or even flooded basement after a rainfall may be wondering how to achieve better drainage on their property. One of the best landscaping drainage options is a French drain. Named after Henry Flagg French, the French drain was originally created for use on farm lands. However, this type of drainage system is just as effective and easy to install on residential properties.

 

How Does it Work?

French drains are essentially trenches that collect rainwater and direct it away from the home. Typically, a perforated pipe will be laid in the trench and covered with gravel. Water seeps through the gravel, into the pipe, and is channeled to a better location such as a nearby street or low spot in the yard. As a result, the building foundation is kept dry and protected from water damage.

When is a French Drain Necessary?

If rainwater seems to collect around the house, or there is no other landscaping drainage system present, then a French drain can be a vital tool for protecting the home’s foundation. When water is not drained away from a building, it can seep into the ground around the foundation and cause long-term damage or even leak into a basement and cause flooding. French drains are an economical way to avoid expensive long-term damage and repairs, by protecting the foundation from water damage. Additionally, they can be helpful in maintaining a healthy yard or garden by preventing plant roots from becoming waterlogged.

Is a French Drain Right for Me?

If you have experienced water pooling up around your home or even flooding after a heavy rain, then installing a French drain would be a fantastic investment to protect your foundation. Or, if you would simply like to create some proactive drainage in your landscaping to prevent future issues, then a French drain can also be an effective and attractive option. To learn more about installing a French drain on your property, contact us today at Steady House Foundation Repair.