The foundation is a great determinant of how strong and durable the rest of any building will be. For instance, if the foundation is not strong enough, then one cannot build a story building on it. Different states have building codes that state that rules to follow when building foundations for certain buildings. At times, the foundation might require some repairs for it to serve its purpose well. Below are some things you should know when dealing with foundation Repair Des Moines.
One of the most common foundation problems is cracking. In most cases, the problem is underlying and to solve it, you need to find out the cause of the cracking. Cracking of foundations is mostly caused by water. If the soil surrounding the foundation is soaked with water, it expands exerting pressure on the foundation wall which leads to the cracking. Check the gutters and the drainage around your house and make sure you have a perimeter drain system around the building.
For uneven foundations or those which are severely cracked, reinforcement would be the most probable solution to this problem. For professional reinforcement, you will need an expert’s help because he will know where to exert pressure more. Wood and steel braces are places against the walls then attached on the floors and overhead joists. This keeps everything in place and avoids further movement of the foundation. One can also opt to spread epoxy vertically then lock carbon fiber mesh.
Wall anchors can also be uses to straighten the foundation wall. However, if the walls are severely bent more than 3 inches, you might need to dig the foundation and rebuild it again. Severe cases cannot be solved from the inside.
For washed out foundations, you might need to tear down the affected portions then rebuild them. Mostly, the damage is repaired with concrete and lumber. Common causes may be broken water pipes, a plugged gutter or common drainage problems. Make sure that the cause of the damage is first solved before you engage in repair.
Repair foundation cracks as soon as you note them with silicone caulk or contact Foundation Repair Des Moines IA contractors to repair any foundation damages you might have.