What causes foundation upheaval to homes around Kansas City?
It’s a serious problem, also known as heaving, which affects many properties in our area. Upheaval can result in damages that cost a lot to repair if you ignore it for too long. This article will discuss the geological issues that causes foundation upheaval, along with a few ways to address it permanently with our fast and reliable help.
What is Foundational Upheaval?
Foundation upheaval happens the most during the spring and late fall when we hit our rainy season in Kansas City. The heavy rainfall has an adverse effect on the clay soils around here, which swell up like a sponge. Like a sponge, when it dries, everything contacts, hardens, and cracks, but it’s even a big hassle to endure all the heavy swelling.
The process of expanding and contracting can damage your foundation walls and floors several ways. Not everybody considers the floor to be a part of the foundation, but it certainly is a serious component.
Here’s why . . .
There’s something called a “heave,” which is when the posts and beams underneath the foundation (beneath crawl spaces or basements) begin to swell up fast. When the soil swells or expands, it raises the beams and posts, subsequently raising portions of the floor inside the home. If you’ve ever noticed a “hump” along the center of the house, then you’ve encountered a heave.
Heaves Coincide Other Troubles
These are not something you can disregard, either. Heaves will manifest in vertical cracks, often found in door jams and windows. Heave cracks run perpendicular, straight up and down along walls, and can spell serious consequences if they become wide enough.
What Does a Homeowner Do About Foundation Upheaval?
Upheaval happens all the time during the wet seasons. The best way to manage swelling and heaving is to get a water management system for your property. KC Pier installs hundreds of these throughout the year to help manage excessive water, preventing it from pressurizing the walls and floors. Fortunately, we can tailor one of many solutions to match the specific problems you’re experiencing with upheaval.
More on Water Intrusion
Water intrusion or hydrostatic pressure is a major point of emphasis in foundation repair for several reasons. It contributes to foundation cracks, basement flooding, material degradation, and a myriad of other troubles. Upheaval certainly leaves you vulnerable to this, too.
How do you prevent water intrusion in your home and keep it on a solid surface all the time?
Basement waterproofing should be your focus, assuming you’ve taken care of the little things like gutter positioning (making sure you don’t flood yourself with runoff water). Many homes in our area have basements, and it’s critical to seal off every avenue for water entry. This involves the installation of water barrier shields, waterproof membranes (especially for finished basements), and interior/exterior drainage systems.
Hire KC Pier to Fix Any Trouble with Upheaval
So, if you’d like to address those bizarre heaves, warped floorboards, cracks, and basement leaks, then call the professionals at KC Pier. We’re the ones that homeowners turn to for comprehensive solutions, at fair prices, with lifetime warranty coverage. While this isn’t a cheap service, it’s well worth the investment if you want to safeguard your home for decades and regain a peace of mind.
We enjoy a 4.9-star rating, with over 100 positive reviews, from homeowner clients in Kansas and Missouri. The online business reviewer, BloggerLocal, has also selected us as one of the area’s top companies for waterproofing services. That wouldn’t surprise our many satisfied customers who have utilized us for prompt foundation restoration work.
Contact us today to discover what KC Pier can do to repair foundation upheaval on your property.
