Foundation settlement types and causes

If you have a home, your foundation has settled, at least to some extent. As a home’s weight puts pressure on the soil, the home will sink slightly or settle slightly. Usually, though, your foundation will stop shifting, sinking or settling after this.

Small, hairline cracks around your home or on your foundation are evidence of this initial foundation settlement—these are nothing to worry about, though you should have them filled into prevent water damage and pests.

After this initial foundation settlement, however, your home’s foundation should not shift, crack or settle. If you notice cracks growing or changing direction, then it could be a sign ofstructural damage.

In general, there are two causes of settlement of foundation:

1. the foundation was not properly designed to bear the full load of your home or
2. environmental circumstances have caused the soil around your home to change in some way.

These reasons are explained in further detail below, but it’s important to note that foundation settlement can cause serious structural damage to your home regardless of the cause. If you spot all the telltale signs of foundation settlement—uneven floors, wall crack, sticking doors—you need to have your home looked at by professionals.

Helitech offers free estimates for this very reason—we’ll take a look at the foundation settlement damage and tell you exactly how our team of experts will fix it and exactly how much it might cost. So if you notice any type of foundation settlement, don’t wait—give us a call.

Types of foundation settlement

Foundation settlement can cause serious damage to your home. Speaking in general terms, there are two ways this occurs: natural causes and improper planning during construction.

Understanding the cause of your foundation settlement gives us an idea of how to best treat your foundation problems at their source.

• Environmental causes of settlement of foundations
  Your foundation rests directly on soil. Some soils are more resistant to expanding with moisture levels. Other soils—often called expansive soils—expand and contract significantly with thermal and saturation changes.It’s easy to see how expansive can be problematic for your foundation. As soil around your home expands after a freeze-thaw cycle or flooding, it puts pressure on your foundation’s walls, causing cracks. Or, as the soil contracts during a drought, itcan cause your home to sink. And, because foundation settlement rarely occurs uniformly, one part of your home might sink more than another, resulting in cracks, leaks and structural damage.

  Our team of experts will evaluate the extent of your home’s foundation settlement and determine the best course of action moving forward—whether it’s supporting your home with helical piles and brackets, or bracing it with carbon strips.

• Insufficient planning for the weight of your home
  When laying a foundation, a contractor needs to think about the soil on which the home will sit as well as the weight of the finished home in conjunction with furniture and storage. From there, they will compact the soil, and plan the depth and structure of the foundation.Sometimes, not enough planning is put into your foundation, meaning that the finished home inevitably settles too much and causes significant damage to your home.