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The Great Big World of Concrete

Think about how many things in the built environment are made from concrete. Even just in your home, you may have a concrete foundation or concrete basement walls. Maybe you have a concrete pad or patio out back, and you probably have a concrete sidewalk leading to and past your home. Then, there's your greater community. There are likely concrete barriers to restrict where people park. Large, concrete buildings serve as schools, court buildings, and other community structures. The list goes on, but the point is, concrete contractors create all sorts of different structures. We're excited to write articles about them here.

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Potential Sources Of Foundation Problems For Your Home

6 June 2022
 Categories: , Blog

Any problems with the foundation of your house can be an emergency situation that will need prompt attention from the homeowner. If foundation damage and problems are not corrected, it could lead to the entire structure suffering fairly significant stability and integrity problems.

Issues With The Soil Under The Foundation

The soil under the foundation will be an important attribute in determining the overall integrity and stability of the home. Unfortunately, there are some types of soil that can create problems for a foundation. While individuals may assume that this will always mean the house will sink into the soil, this is not the case. It can also be possible for some types of soil to actually expand when they become wet, and this can put a substantial amount of pressure on the concrete foundation. Over the years, this repeated exposure to extreme pressure can cause the foundation to start to develop deep cracks running throughout it.

Water Damage To The Concrete Or Rebar

Water damage can be another common foundation issue that can need major repairs. When the drainage around the home is not sufficient, water can actually seep into the concrete. This will eventually cause the concrete to weaken, but it can also have the potential to contribute to the rebar in the concrete corroding. If these metal components start to corrode, they may greatly expand in this, and this can lead to rapid failure of the foundation. Fortunately, the corroded rebar may be repaired by chiseling the concrete away from the damaged section. In some cases, the compromised rebar may be restored by sanding off the corrosion and applying a protective coating to the metal before covering it back with concrete. When this is not an option, the damaged rebar may need to be cut out of the foundation so that it can be replaced.

Poor Weight Distribution

The weight of the home will need to be distributed as evenly as possible over the entire foundation. If the weight distribution of the home is uneven, it can put an excessive amount of stress on one area of the foundation. Eventually, this may cause deep cracks to form. Additionally, this problem can cause one side of the home to settle much deeper into the soil. For a house that is suffering from this type of damage, it will likely be possible to reinforce the concrete foundation so that it can compensate for the uneven weight distribution of the house.

Contact a foundation repair contractor for more information.