Karns sits northwest of Knoxville and has a broader mix of housing than the newer
communities around it. There are homes here from several decades, on a range of
foundation types, and that mix is reflected in the variety of work we do in the area.
What the ground is doing in Karns
Karns sits in the same ridge and valley ground as the rest of Knox County, with clay
heavy soil that swells when it takes on water and shrinks back when it dries. That
cycle repeats under a footing through every wet spring and dry August, and where the
soil under one corner of a house holds more water than the soil under another, the two
corners move by different amounts.
The homes we see here
The older homes around Karns are more likely to sit on block foundations with vented
crawl spaces, which is the standard practice of their day. Those crawl spaces were
built on the idea that outside air would keep them dry. In an East Tennessee summer the
outside air is warmer and wetter than the crawl space, so moisture condenses down there
instead of leaving. That is why crawl space work makes up a good share of what we do in
older neighborhoods.
What to watch for
The early signs are the same wherever you live in East Tennessee. Doors and windows that
stick or will not latch the way they used to. Cracks above door frames. Floors that feel
uneven underfoot. Gaps opening where the trim meets the wall. Stair-step cracks outside
that climb through the mortar joints of brick or block. A crawl space that smells musty in
July. Any one of those alone may be nothing. Two or three together usually mean the house
has moved.
What we do in Karns
The full range: foundation repair with push piers and under footing bracket systems,
basement wall repair with carbon fiber, i-beams and tie-back anchors, interior and exterior
waterproofing, crawl space repair, drainage and encapsulation, and water management with
french drains, grate drains, downspout leaders and re-grading.
We are based at 1058 Lovell Road in Knoxville, so Karns is a short drive rather than a
road trip. We are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 in the morning to 5:30 in the evening,
and available for emergency service after hours. The inspection and the written estimate
are both free, with no obligation.
Common Questions
My crawl space has vents. Should I close them?
Closing the vents on its own is not the answer, because you also need the space sealed and insulated properly and any water problem handled first. But the instinct is right. Vented crawl spaces do not perform the way they were intended to in a humid climate.
How do I know if my crawl space is causing problems upstairs?
A musty smell on the first floor is the most common tell, because much of the air you breathe upstairs started underneath the house. Floors that feel soft or bouncy, humidity that stays high, and rising power bills point the same direction.
Call us at (865) 675-4177 and we will talk through what you are seeing. The inspection and the estimate are both free.