Cracks in your home’s foundation can cause serious damage and likewise detract from the appearance of your house.
Just as we show signs of aging through facial lines and wrinkles, our homes reveal it through defects and cracks. Cracks in concrete foundation usually occur at weak points such as walls and pipe areas, corners and basement window frames. It is wise to notice these cracks and find out if they are getting bigger. It is also crucial to figure out why the crack occurred in the first place. What causes cracks in your foundation?
Causes of Concrete Foundation Cracks:
Drought or an Excess of Moisture
Soil shrinks like a sponge the moment moisture is off from it and when that occurs it draws away from the foundation and create a gap. This break makes the foundation to shift. When the foundation of a building is not well-supported it can move around, and cracks will start to show up. Accordingly, when there is extremely too much moisture, it is going to make the earth that is supporting the foundation of the home to expand.
Storms
Whether you experience a nor’easter, a hurricane or even a usual rainstorm, these storms bring about plenty of water, which could damage the foundation. An excessive amount of water will force the earth around the foundation of the home to expand, which will then push up against the home and consequently cause concrete foundation cracks. Besides that, storms can cause many other structural issues if you do not implement preventive measures to safeguard your home.
Earthquakes
An occurrence of earthquake forces the ground to shake, and that goes on to shake your house around. Fortunately, only a relatively few earthquakes occur in this part of the U.S., but even the slightest of movements can be a problem. Understand that when the foundation isn’t stable or supported, it can shift around, weaken and crack. One minor earthquake will likely not trigger new cracks, but it can intensify existing ones.
Plumbing Leaks
It is essential to ensure that your pipes are properly secured and are not leaking and be sure that you have no plumbing leaks in your home. When your house is not equipped with a sump pump or basement waterproofing, the surplus water will add to the soil causing it to accumulate and push against your foundation.
Flooding
Irrespective of whether the flooding is triggered by storm, inadequate drainage, a leak or something else, excess water will be an issue for your concrete foundation. When the hydrostatic pressure gets too much for the foundation, you will find more leaks, more cracks and a lot more complications.
Repair Cracks in Concrete
Here is the good news: concrete foundation cracks that are as a result of flooding and too much moisture can be prevented through diverse strategies of basement waterproofing. With epoxy injections, it is quite easy to fix concrete foundation cracks. If you are considering concrete repair or preventive measures, get in touch with the team at Almand Brothers your South Jersey Concrete Contractors and who will design a custom solution for you.