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How Different Soil Types Impact Your Foundation

How Different Soil Types Impact Your Foundation

Published by on June 25, 2018

 

Sandy soil (left) and sandy loam soils (middle) expand and contract very little with moisture changes. They can be very reliable when supporting a foundation.

Clay soils (right) expand and shrink in volume dramatically with moisture changes and can cause significant foundation damage.

Sandy Soils & Your Foundation

Water passes through sandy soils rather than being absorbed. This fact makes sandy soils very stable. Instead of expanding as they absorb moisture and contracting as they dry out, sandy soils maintain a fairly consistent volume and density.

Because of their stability and good load-bearing qualities, sandy soils are less likely to shift and settle, so they rarely cause foundation problems. Unfortunately, sandy soils are less commonly found than other more problematic soil types.

How Clay Soils Affect Your Foundation

Soils rich in clay and silt have the greatest potential to damage a foundation. Clay absorbs water easily, expanding in volume as it becomes more saturated. So-called “expansive clays” can cause foundations to crack, heave and shift.

When clay soils dry out, they shrink and crack, leaving gaps around a house where water from the next storm can penetrate easily and deeply to repeat the expansion cycle. Clay-rich soils usually cause more foundation damage by expanding than by contracting.

Sandy Loam Soils

Loamy soils are usually a very stable soil that shows little change with the increase or decrease of moisture temperature.

The primary concern with foundations built on loamy soils is erosion. When soils underneath your foundation erode, they may begin to be inappropriate strata for sustaining the weight of a foundation and home structure.

Call MBRGFR Today for a Free No Hassle Evaluation 817-469-1090

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Check Your Plumbing!

Check Your Plumbing!

Published by on February 16, 2016

As Foundation Repair Specialists, well, we see a lot of foundations. And often enough, the damage we see done isn’t always due to our hot dry Texas summers, but instead is caused by something far stealthier; plain old simple plumbing leaks.
The moisture seeping out from cracked, separated, or broken pipes can cause the soil under your home to expand and create differential pressure which can harm your foundation. Even previous foundation repair work may not be able to protect your home from this type of damage.
It’s also highly possible for you to be completely unaware of an already present destructive leak. You may think that you would notice a leak from a gradual, or even a sudden, rise in your water bill, but that may not always be the case. While a leak in the domestic system (bringing water into your home) may be seen via your water bill, you wouldn’t spot a leak in the sewer system (the system that leaves your home).
The best way to spot a leak in either system is to have a Hydrostatic Plumbing test. With this test, a licensed plumber, such as our friends with Leak Squad, test both the domestic and the sewer systems to look for any loss in pressure. If there is any loss, then the plumber can perform a Leak Isolation test to pinpoint exactly where the leak is.
Are your foundation problems caused in part by a plumbing issue or by dangerous seasonal movement instead? The best way to find out is to have one of our representatives come out to the property to give your home a customized foundation report, directly targeting your home’s specific needs whatever they may be. Call today for a free repair evaluation and we can get your foundation squared away, right away!
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Post Foundation Repair Tips

Post Foundation Repair Tips

Published by on January 12, 2016

To make repairs last, the property owner must change the conditions that caused the problem. Soil swelling can usually be stopped by cutting off the moisture supply. Plumbing leaks are major causes of soil swelling. If water leaks do occur, they must be repaired immediately to prevent damage to the foundation.

Poor drainage near the foundation is another cause of soil heaving. The owner may have to regrade his lot to make sure rainwater drains away from the foundation. Downspouts for gutters should carry water well away from the foundation and there should be no places where water ponds near the house during rains.

Brick cracks may close, and they may not close. It is our goal to close any brick cracks that exist, but there may be limitations during the lift that can prevent the cracks from closing. Sometimes there is a horizontal shift, and that will rarely come back. Sometimes the grade beam is too weak to lift the amount we would like, and it would cause more damage than good to lift further, and the cracks cannot close.

If you are planning any post foundation repair cosmetic repairs,  please consider waiting 10-14 days for the foundation to settle before beginning any masonry , sheet rock, roofing repairs, or painting.

Post foundation repair tips are similar to the items mentioned in for prevention: https://www.mbrgfr.com/maintenance/

Follow these suggestions to minimize the chance of a re-occurrence of your foundation problem or for new problems developing.

 

Call MBRGFR Today for a Free No Hassle Evaluation 817-469-1090

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Too Much Water

Published by on October 28, 2015

maintenance-issue-3Here in Texas with our long, hot, dry summers, most people know that drought conditions can damage foundations. The dry soil and clay shrinks out from under your home removing the foundation’s proper support.
But actually, ground moisture is a double edged sword. While too little water content in the soil around your home can be hazardous, too MUCH water can be harmful too. Especially if surface water pools in only one or two areas around your home. As the dirt and clay begins to adsorb the water it begins to expand causing your foundation to heave, or rise above it’s proper level. If the clay doesn’t expand evenly around the perimeter of your house, the rising during wet periods and the settling during dry spots causes undue stress on the foundation as it goes above and below its normal position.
Furthermore, plumbing leaks beneath your home can also cause the same problem. Even a leak slow enough not to notice on your water bill can be more than enough to damage your foundation. In addition to the normal seasonal damage we see from Texas summers, we frequently see homes with problems due to plumbing leaks both in and out of season.
Therefore we advise you ensure your home has proper drainage, where no water pools around the foundation for at least 6 to 10 feet, and your gutters drain onto splash blocks which moves runoff away from your foundation and helps control unsightly erosion.  We also recommend that you have your plumbing checked regularly to catch any leaks as early as possible.

Remember, it’s infinitely easier and less costly to maintain your drainage, plumbing, and foundation now, than to wait until you have problems.

Think you may have a Foundation Problem?, Call us 817-469-1090 For Your Free Evaluation

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Importance of Crawl Space Ventilation

Published by on October 6, 2015

Crawl Space Ventilation is very important to making sure that your pier and beam foundation stays dry. If all of the soil beneath the foundation swells uniformly or shrinks uniformly, it is unlikely to cause a problem. But when only part of the foundation heaves or settles, differential movement causes cracks, wood rot and other damage to an understructure. The right amount of hydration is very important.

One of the best ways to ensure that the moisture content under your pier and beam foundation stays consistent is by checking the efficiency of your vents. These vents allow outside air to circulate through the understructure to prevent the moisture buildup. Another alternative to promote adequate crawl space ventilation is by installing  a humidistat fan. It will monitor the moisture and temperature levels under your house and keep the levels consistent to be in order to prevent foundation movement.

If you think that your foundation is moving or has ventilation issues, MBRGFR.com inspects both slab and pier and beam foundations. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at our office (817) 469-1090

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Drainage and Foundation Repair

Published by on September 28, 2015

5 Tips for Foundation Drainage 

Keeping water drained away from home foundations is important for two main reasons. First, if there is living space on the other side, the owner will want it to stay dry. Good drainage is the first step toward accomplishing that, then waterproofing. Second, soils supporting a foundation need to stay at a consistent moisture level to prevent settlement, heave, or differential movement.

Here are a few things to keep in mind

  • Moisture: There are two zones of subsurface moisture: the aeration zone (where both water and air exist) and the saturation zone. Generally, the saturation zone is everything below the water table, which is the level at which water rises to in a well. The saturation zone is seldom an issue in residential construction—soil moisture is the concern.
  • Loss of soil moisture: Soil moisture beneath a foundation is lost in a triangular configuration, so the deepest dry area is just outside the edge of the foundation and the ground beneath the middle of the slab remains saturated. Differential drying or differential amounts of moisture in the soil can create problems, especially in expansive soils.
  • Surface drainage: Controlling surface water is critical to controlling soil moisture beneath the foundation. The ground surface should slope away from the house at between ½ and 1 inch per foot for at least 6 feet—10 feet is better. Be careful of poorly compacted backfill, though, because that will soon mean that the surface will slope back toward the house.
  • Gutters: Downspouts should discharge on sloping surfaces at least 6-10 feet from the foundation. Where that isn’t possible, downspouts should discharge into drained catch basins.
  • Finally, remember that it is much easier to do foundation drainage right in the first place than to repair it later.

Think you may have a Drainage or Foundation Problem?, Call us 817-469-1090 For Your Free Evaluation

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Protect Your Investment!

Published by on September 28, 2015

Did you know a home’s foundation directly affects its property value? The moment a potential buyer see’s a crack or finds out that there may be a problem with the structure, their dream of making this their future home could be shattered.

Foundation problems are often caused by a variety of changes that can occur in the soils surrounding your home. Unfortunately, these problems don’t get better with time – they only get worse.

In fact many people associate foundation problems with older homes, however Consumer Reports found that an alarming 15% of new homes have serious foundation problems. These problems were found to have two causes: 1) Poor construction, and 2) Homes built on poorly compacted fill soils.
Therefore it’s safe to say that foundation problems affect new and old homes alike. The decision to fix these problems – permanently – is an investment in your home that makes sense.
If you have a house that’s on the market that needs foundation repairs, MBR is here to help. With our Funding at Closing program, we will accept funds straight from the closing table to help alleviate some of the stress of last minute home repairs! And you can feel safe with MBR’s Genuine Lifetime Transferable Warranty on all our piers. Call us today to get your foundation squared away right away! 817-469-1090
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Summer Quick Tip!

Published by on June 20, 2015

We are excited to introduce our new website this Summer! We have added more information and media materials for our customers and partners.

We have over 30 years of experience and are A+ organization on BBB.

Here’s a quick tip: During Summer, because of the high temperatures, your foundation requires an increase in the amount of water needed to maintain ample moisture levels.

Place soaker hoses approx. a foot from the edge (ideally buried about a foot down) and run for about an hour every other day. If the soil begins to recede from the slab, increase watering until you close the gap.

For more tips see our maintenance page, or give us a call at 817-469-1090

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Welcome!

Published by on June 20, 2015

MBRGFR.com is here to help! Our website offers a plethora of valuable information to help homeowners, Realtors, buyers, sellers, tenants, or anybody else who manages a property to keep and maintain a healthy foundation.
We have articles on slab & pier and beam repairs, signs of foundation distress, maintenance,  warranties, plumbing, and continuing education courses. We even have an entire FAQ page in addition to a number of short instructional videos, to ensure you’re kept well informed and well equipped to handle any situation that may arise.
Make sure your foundation has the support it needs to support your home! And if it’s already in need of repair we’ll be right there to get your foundation squared away right away!

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