How do the winter elements damage your home?
As we settle into a new season, there are new weather patterns that can impact the soil – and subsequently our home’s foundation!
The winter months can bring bouts of heavy moisture with rain, sleet or snow. This moisture can cause pressure on your foundation and lead to serious symptoms of problems.
Cracked, leaning or bowing basement walls can develop in homes of any age, as changes occur within the soils that surround them.
Foundation walls can be damaged by soil pressure. In some cases, the soil's weight is simply too great to be held back by the foundation wall. In other cases, soil with high clay content expands during wet weather, exerting additional pressure against foundation walls. This is a problem that we in Nevada deal with the most. Our clay expansive soils expand and receed constantly, creating a constant pressure and movement against our homes' foundations.
Additionally, in areas with cold winter climates, frost can put pressure on a wall and cause it to fail, especially if the basement is unheated. Frost forces can be extremely powerful and can even lift shallow foundations up out of the ground, causing significant damage to the home.
The foundation problems caused by the time of year aren't just annoying - they become much worse over time. Finding and fixing the root cause of the problem will restore your peace of mind. Call us for a free estimate today!
