Major Causes of Shifting Foundations

Water and Street Creep are Two Causes of Shifting Foundation

Causes of Foundation Problems

Many homeowners in the Kansas City area are aware of the tell-tale signs of foundation issues; cracks in the walls, cracks above doors and windows; uneven floors, water in the basement, etc. The cure for some of those foundation problems is foundation piering. It is a straightforward solution when the issue is also straightforward and can easily be determined. Foundation repair companies in Kansas City will typically come into your home and assess the concerns. The sooner a homeowner notices an issue, the sooner an experienced foundation repair company will come out to determine the best (and most affordable) solution to the issue. 

Homeowners in Kansas City trust PierMagic to determine the best solution for their piering foundations issues. It’s called the DynaPier system. It was designed by combining steel and high strength concrete making it the strongest foundation pier in the industry. 

But what causes foundations to shift?

Well, the answer is that many things can impact your home’s foundation. But mainly, foundations move because the ground around or beneath them moves. There are several things that can cause the ground to move, especially in the Kansas City area. 

Water Causes Foundation Shifting

Water is a big culprit. What we find is that when piering foundations in Kansas City, much of the problem is a result of water. Because Kansas City has soil that is high in clay content, it tends to shift drastically with an overabundance of or lack of water. Expansive clay soil is very sensitive to water. It shrinks in the summer when there is very little moisture and expands when there is too much. With this last summer being extremely dry, many yards pulled away from foundations and left them unsupported. Conversely, too much water causes the ground to push up against the foundation putting enough pressure on it to cause cracks. We pay special attention to Kansas City weather (droughts, flooding) specifically to determine the correlation between this geographical condition, soil, and settlement. 

Street Creep Can Cause Foundation Problems

Another cause of foundation shifting is called street creep. Extreme pressure, caused by traffic and ground settling, can push the concrete street against the driveway pushing it into your home’s foundation and causing cracks in foundation walls. If the expansion joints in your driveway are not installed properly, your concrete slabs can expand and put pressure on your foundation. To catch this before it happens, check your expansion joints. If they seem tight or compressed, you may have street creep. Another common place to look for street creep is your garage. If there are cracks in the foundation, outside or in, or your floor slab is pulling away from your garage wall, street creep could be the problem.

Call at the First Signs of Foundation Issues

At the first signs of cracks, sticking doors, or leaking, give PierMagic a call to set up a free inspection. Often, we can recommend preventative measures you can take that might save you from having to have repair work performed. There are many pier systems to choose from, our DynaPier system is designed to be the most effective and strongest piering foundation in Kansas City . Go with the pros. Call the PierMagic foundation specialists today.