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7 Warning Signs of Home Foundation Failure

A foundation is an essential structural component in any building. It provides a solid support for your home and carries the weight of the structure and its occupants. With a functional foundation, your home is safe from water damage and enjoys the much-needed insulation. Despite these critical functions, the foundation doesn’t always receive the attention it deserves during home maintenance. And failure to repair minor foundation problems early can lead to home foundation failure and costly repairs running into tens of thousands of dollars.

Any problem that compromises the integrity of your home’s foundation poses a big risk to your investment. For this reason, you should stay proactive in foundation maintenance by looking out for any signs of developing problems.

The following are some warning signs of foundation failure that you should keep an eye on.

1. Exterior Cracks

As the house settles, fine cracks might appear on the foundation walls. These cracks might also develop as water evaporates from the concrete mixture. While cracks are common on concrete walls, you should closely monitor them to check if they point to a bigger underlying issue — any large zigzag crack could portend foundation failure.

If you notice cracks above windows or doorways, or cracked and bowed walls, call in a foundation contractor for a closer inspection.

2. Sagging Floors or Ceilings

Any movement of the foundation affects other components of the house including support beams and walls. Eventually, these movements can force the house to shift and sit unevenly, and this affects the floors and ceilings too. If you notice slanted doors or sagging floors and ceilings, you may have an underlying foundation issue.

3. Crawlspace and Basement Moisture

The space below your home’s walls is susceptible to water problems. However, foundation contractors understand this and they mitigate the risk through waterproofing systems.

If you notice crawlspace or basement water problems in your home, this is a sign of a failing foundation. It could be due to foundation cracks, which allow ground water to seep through into the house.

4. Poor Drainage

After completion of a new building, you should inspect the effectiveness of the drainage system. With time however, the foundation might shift and affect the gradient of the slope around the house. This could lead to drainage issues such as standing water near walls or basement moisture.

5. Poorly Fitting Doors and Windows

The joy of every homeowner is to move into a functional home. This is mostly the case for a new house, but if foundation issues develop, some frustrating issues arise. Poorly fitting doors and windows are among the first signs of foundation trouble.

This is a problem which most homeowners try to correct by repairing the affected fittings. While this might temporarily solve the problem, the underlying foundation issue continues worsening. If you notice the doors and windows getting stuck, consult a foundation contractor who has the tools and expertise to inspect your home’s foundation.

6. Off-Kilter Chimney

A chimney that is pulling away from the house is a common problem with new homes, and, many times, it gets the wrong diagnosis. Often times, this is a problem caused by a shifting foundation. The best solution for such an off-kilter chimney is to check the foundation for any structural issues and carry out repairs.

7. Mold Infestation

If you notice signs of mold on window and door corners, it’s highly likely that your home’s foundation is failing. In case of foundation cracks or gaps, water seeps into the wooden parts of your home causing mold growth.

These warning signs present you an opportunity to repair your home’s foundation early enough. Due to the size and critical function of the foundation, you need an established contractor to do any inspections and carry out necessary repairs.

If you have any foundation related issues in Texas, talk to Du-West today. We have over 40 years of experience in foundation repairs using state-of-the-art construction technologies.

A Homeowner’s Guide to Residential Retaining Walls

If you are building a home on sloped land or already live in a home located on or near a hill, then you should learn all about residential retaining walls. These walls can not only help prevent the flooding of homes built on or near steeply graded land, but the addition of a retaining wall to a sloped yard also allows the land to be used in many ways that it could not used otherwise.

Read on to learn more about residential retaining walls, including their most common uses, retaining wall types, and the importance of a good drainage system.

Retaining Wall Uses

Retaining walls have many uses in residential construction. These walls are often installed around homes built near the tops of hills to add more usable flat space to the land. When you have more flat land in your yard, you can add a shed, driveway, or other property features that need the support that sloped land cannot provide.

However, retaining walls are also often installed around homes built near the bottoms of hills to prevent the soil erosion and flooding that extensive rainwater run-off from the hill above can cause. Soil erosion around a home’s foundation can jeopardize its stability, and no one wants to worry that their home may flood every time it rains.

If your home is built downhill from a fault line, surrounding your yard in a retaining wall can add stability to both your land and home’s foundation to protect both from the damage that an earthquake can cause.

Retaining Wall Types

The three main materials used to construct residential retaining walls are wood, natural stone, and concrete.

Wooden retaining walls, also called timber walls, are typically more affordable than retaining walls made from other materials and have a natural, rustic appearance. However, since wood is prone to decay and rot when exposed to soil and water over time, wooden retaining walls have relatively short lifespans.

Natural stone retaining walls are attractive and typically have long lifespans. However, stone walls can be more expensive than other retaining wall types.

Concrete retaining walls are durable and also tend to stay in good condition for many years. These walls can be created with interlocking concrete blocks or poured concrete. Poured-in-place concrete walls are ideal for flood prevention. Concrete walls typically cost just a bit more than wooden retaining walls.

While there are many retaining wall styles, gravity walls are common in residential construction. Gravity retaining walls are made from heavy materials and lean slightly back toward the soil they are supporting to eliminate the need for a special reinforcement system.

The Importance of Retaining Wall Drainage

All retaining walls, especially gravity walls, should have good drainage systems to prevent premature wall failure.

When the soil behind a retaining wall becomes saturated with water due to heavy rainfall or water runoff, the saturated soil exerts more pressure on the wall than dry soil does. This excess pressure can cause wall failure. A drainage system encourages excess water in the soil behind the wall to drain before excess hydrostatic pressure builds up.

One way to prevent the build-up of hydrostatic pressure in the soil a retaining wall is supporting is to construct a wall with weep holes that allow water to flow through them.

If weep holes are not an option or not enough to control hydrostatic pressure, perforated drainage pipes are often necessary.

Granular soil made up of mainly gravel, sand, and silt should be placed along the inner perimeter of the retaining wall to prevent clogging of weep holes and drainage pipes that a more cohesive soil, such as a clay-filled soil, can cause.

If you are building a home on steeply graded land or already own a home located on or under a hill, then install a retaining wall around your home to reap one or more of the benefits of these soil-stabilizing structures. Contact the retaining wall experts at Du-West for all of your residential retaining wall design and construction needs today.

An Overview of 3 Types of Foundation Wall Cracks

Wall Cracks Foundation Repair The foundation is one of the most concerning places for damage to occur because it can threaten the structural integrity of a home. Fortunately, not every imperfection you see in your foundation walls is cause for alarm. Here is an overview of three types of cracks in foundation walls and their possible causes.

1. Shrinkage Cracks

It may seem like foundations are made of inert materials, but they actually move a lot more than you would think. Concrete and masonry bricks continuously expand when they get hot and shrink when they cool as the weather changes. Poured concrete also experiences shrinkage due to chemical reactions that occur as it cures.

The issue with shrinkage in foundation walls is that the inside and outside of the material don’t shrink at the same rate. This creates shearing forces in the wall that build over time until cracks occur to relieve the pressure. These types of cracks are known as shrinkage cracks.

Shrinkage cracks are most often oriented vertically or diagonally, and they are usually hairline cracks that are uniform in width. Shrinkage cracks will sometimes start and stop along their path, making them appear like dotted lines. Fortunately, shrinkage cracks rarely reduce the load-bearing capability of foundation walls, but you should keep an eye on them to make sure they aren’t allowing moisture to leak into your basement.

2. Settlement Cracks

Nothing is more important for a successful foundation than the soil beneath it. Naturally soft soils, like those high in sand or clay, are prone to shifting under the weight of a foundation. This is also true for soil of any type if it is not properly compacted before the foundation is laid. All foundations will settle to some degree and may develop minor settlement cracks, but shifting soil can exaggerate these cracks and damage your foundation.

Settlement cracks are characteristically vertical cracks that are narrow at the bottom and wider at the top. This occurs because the separated sections of the wall bend outward from the crack. Multiple settlement cracks will often appear in the same segment of wall.

While settlement cracks do not guarantee structural damage on their own, you should check a few areas around your home to get a more complete picture and ensure your home is safe. Use a level to check for sloping floors, door frames, and window frames, and look over your walls for cracks in drywall, stone, or brick. These are clear signs that you should contact a home repair contractor for a professional assessment.

3. Stair Step Cracks

Stair step cracks are unique foundation wall cracks that are usually found along mortar joints in walls made of concrete blocks or masonry bricks. Since mortar joints are the path of least resistance in block walls, forces of any type can cause stair step cracks. The location of a stair step crack is the most important information to help you determine its cause.

Stair step cracks near corners are often the result of settling or thermal expansion in the middle of the adjacent wall. While the wall moves, the corners resist moving and create shear forces along the mortar joints. Stair step cracks below windows may indicate settling or soil shifting beneath the wall. Again, professional assessment is the best choice to determine the exact cause and the severity of the problem.

Understanding common types of cracks in foundation walls will give you peace of mind and help you recognize when there may be a serious problem. If you suspect that your foundation is in need of repair, don’t hesitate to call the experienced team at Du-West!

3 Tips to Help You Prepare Your Home for Foundation Repair

Problems with your home’s foundation can be scary. They can trigger extensive structural damage to your house’s exterior and interior. Because your home’s structural integrity will be compromised, you’re often no longer safe.

Repairs cost money, and you’d have to foot the bill yourself if you don’t have insurance. Fortunately, a reputable repair expert can fix several structural issues without tearing out the entire foundation. Doing so will significantly lower the resulting repair costs with a focus on the quality of work.

If your home sits on expansive clay or in an area with poor drainage, foundation problems won’t be much of a surprise. However, you’ll need to be prepared before your repair contractor comes up to fix these foundation issues. These three tips will make things easier for you and your repair contractor during and after the work is complete. We provide foundation repair in Houston and the surrounding areas also provide foundation repair in Dallas and the surrounding area.

1. Schedule a Foundation Inspection

Before you kick-start your repair work, first assess the extent of foundation damage in your home. Performing an initial assessment helps you get a rough idea of how much work needs to be done on your foundation. Additionally, an inspection can point out the main cause of damage and the different strategies that your contractor could use to perform repairs.

Common problems found during an inspection can include:

Jammed doors
Isolated water pools
Crawlspace issues
Drywall cracks
Warped flooring

During the inspection, your repair contractor could also draft you an initial budget estimate using their inspection findings. A prior foundation inspection is one of the most important steps when preparing for repairs. Therefore, working with a reputable contractor is your best bet towards an actionable and effective foundation repair plan.

2. Draft a Temporary Relocation Plan

A foundation repair procedure is often very loud, with noise from construction equipment such as jackhammers and hydraulic machines. The entire process is usually quite intrusive as well, affecting both your comfort and safety in the home. Therefore, temporarily relocate your family until all the work is finished or after your contractor gives you the green light to return home.

However, temporary relocation might only apply if your home needs extensive repair work, such as replacing an entire concrete slab unit. But if moving out not an option for you, your foundation repair contractor could plan out a work schedule that considers you and your family’s needs.

They could choose to focus on particular sections while you and your family are still in the house. However, such a strategy might keep you shifting from room to room until the whole foundation is safe for you.

3. Protect Your Home

Most foundation repairs are quite extensive, affecting both the inside and outside of your home. Because the repair crew will need access to your home, make sure that the work area doesn’t have furniture or other items that could limit their mobility.

Also, repairs create a lot of dust that could damage your electronics and other valuable items in the house. Children and pets should also be in the rooms furthest from the construction site for their own safety.

If you have plants around your home, move them away to give the technicians a clear pathway and protect your plants against root damage. You could always move them yourself, but using a landscaping expert ensures the safety of removal and replanting after repair technicians finish doing their job.

Ignoring foundation problems drastically lowers your home’s value and the safety of everyone living there. If you notice signs such as sagging floors and cracks, feel free to contact Du-West. Our technicians are well-trained to handle any foundation issues you might have in your home, with great attention to repair quality and safety.

2 Main Issues You Can Expect With Your Water Heater

You may be used to having hot water in your home whenever you need it. But if your water heater can’t keep up, you might have several worrying issues.

Modern water heating systems are designed to last, but they can silently develop issues that may be hard to understand. Familiarizing yourself with these problems can help catch the signs early and avoid costly repairs.

But if your water heater malfunctions, act fast to find out what the problem could be. Your plumber can help you solve any of these common water heater issues below.

1. Inconsistent Water Temperatures

An unreliable water heater can be puzzling, especially if your unit doesn’t heat water to the level you’d want. Typically, you have three temperature issues to watch out for as your water heater grows older.

No Hot Water

If the water from your heater is too cold, your unit might have a faulty thermostat or heating element. The power supply to your water heater could also malfunction, and your unit may not work at all.

Your plumber could first inspect the circuit breakers to rule out any power-related issues. Next, they might examine both the thermostat and heating elements to determine if enough power is available to drive these components.

Very Hot Water

Your thermostat setting may be too high if the water from your unit comes out very hot. But you can simply adjust the setting to your desired output level. Typically, a setting of around 120ºF is the sweet spot between the right functionality and efficiency.

However, if the water still feels hot at the lowest setting, your thermostat might be failing. A blocked pressure relief valve might also be a likely cause of excessively hot water output. Call a licensed plumber for a more accurate diagnosis if you notice this problem.

Not Enough Hot Water

Sometimes, water from your water heater may feel warm but still not as hot as you’d prefer. Usually, you may experience this problem if you have an undersized unit that may not be enough to satisfy your hot water demands. In addition, a faulty heating element or failing thermostat can have a similar effect.

Because of the sensitivity of these elements, always contact a licensed expert for proven lasting solutions. They can also let you know if you need to replace your water heater with a properly sized unit to avoid any compromises.

2. Excessive Sediment Buildup

If you use a storage tank-based heating system, excessive sediment buildup is a problem you shouldn’t ignore. The incoming water may contain minerals such as magnesium that settle to form sediment in the tank after the heating process begins. You’re likely to notice signs such as:

Having higher energy bills. Your water heater has to work harder if a lot of sediment covers the heating elements. Unfortunately, lower energy efficiency may translate to a much higher electric bill.
Running out of hot water faster. Excessive sediment inside the tank could reduce its hot water holding capacity. You’re likely to run out of hot water faster than usual.

You can maintain a regular flushing schedule to avoid excess sediment accumulation. Doing so can prevent damage to other water heater components. You could also replace your tank-based unit with a tankless water heater to avoid sediment issues.

If you decide to troubleshoot your water heater before you call an expert, remember to switch off the power supply mains to protect yourself from electrical accidents. But you shouldn’t take such risks if you’re not sure what to do. Instead, call qualified experts like Du-West to handle water heater repairs for you.