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214-320-2933 office |
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Why is there movement? |
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| There are many reasons for foundation movement. The leading cause is the expansive soils we have here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. | |||||||
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Soils expand when they absorb water from rain, plumbing leaks, excessive watering, poor drainage, watering to close to the foundation, etc. The effect is called upheaval (heave). This will cause the Relative Elevation Survey to show higher readings. |
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Another cause of
foundation movement is the lot was filled (fill) during
construction. This usually occurs on newer homes and the
foundation is impacted when the fill is compacted over time. |
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| Trees can also have an
impact on the foundation. When tree root systems encounter soils
beneath the foundation, they may utilize this as an additional water
source during drier summer seasons to supplement their moisture needs. |
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| Drainage issues can
create low spots and allow water to penetrate the soils under the foundation.
Installation of gutters with downspouts that discharge their water a
minimum of 5 feet away from the foundation is a good start. The
soil gradient away from the foundation walls should fall a minimum of
6 inches within the first 10 feet and provide a minimum 4 inch space
between the bottom course of bricks and the ground. Also, raised
landscaping beds, especially those with metal edging, can retain the
water too close to the foundation. |
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The above is not an
exhaustive list of why a foundation will experience movement. |
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