Is there anything more important for a house, than its foundation? The interiors, the furniture, and others are important. But, none of them matter without a good foundation.
What comes under the umbrella of a ‘good foundation’?
Two things — Stability and Strength.
Albeit there are many types of foundation, the most preferred is the ‘Slab Foundation’.
Having grown in popularity over the past 50 years, the slab foundation is preferred by homeowners and construction firms, alike.
Why?
Here are a few distinct advantages of slab foundation,
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Inexpensive
The most economical amongst all currently available types of foundation.
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Sturdy
The slab foundation is solid. The facet where the building is resting on the poured concrete adds to its sturdiness.
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Resource friendly
In comparison to other types, slab foundation requires fewer resources. This furthers the reduction in costs.
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Complete protection from insects
There is no issue of carpenter ants or termites chewing into the wood. The concrete layer eliminates any exposure of wood to insects.
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Time-efficient
With the right preparation, the slab foundation does not take more than 4 days to be completely laid.
These benefits have made the slab foundation, the preferred choice during house construction.
Now, let us delve into slab foundation repair in knoxville. Comparatively, slab foundation requires less maintenance. However, understanding the problems and causes of foundation repair can assist you in the future.
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Poor design structure
A common issue with slab foundation is its design structure. This reflects the lack of expert guidance during the measurement or design stage.
Contrary to popular belief, this issue is not only concerned with the dimensions of the foundation. The type of soil is an important element to be factored in. The soil type decides the type of foundation to be laid. Therefore, failing to judge it correctly renders all efforts in vain.
There are many instances where the slab foundation was sloppy, due to improper geological survey. The surrounding rocks, the height variation, the seeping in of water facilitate a complete understanding of the site. Only upon total understanding can a slab foundation remain strong and stable.
Slab foundations are mostly found used in warm climates. However, the design commensurate with expected climatic changes. The variability of ground conditions also needs to be accounted for.
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Slab Upheaval
If the slab foundation elevates due to soil expansion, it is known as slab upheaval. This issue is a major concern. The scope of slab upheaval can extend up to rendering the house unsafe to live in.
Therefore, identifying the reason behind upheaval is of paramount importance.
Slab upheaval happens because of moisture. When it rains heavily, voluminous amounts of water seep in. The soil surrounding this area increases in weight and volume. The heaviness of the soil exerts an outbound force against the slab foundation. This results in certain areas in the house to elevate.
Plumbing leaks and frost can also increase the moisture content in the nearby soil.
This is commonly repaired by altering the drainage system. To reduce water stagnation at a certain place, streamlining of water flow is recommended.
Foundation Repair in Knoxville for slab upheaval is quite common.
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Cracks in the slab foundation
The issue of cracks in the slab foundation is omnipresent. Your builder may follow all the best practices while laying out the slab foundation, but still, the guarantee against the occurrence of cracks is uncertain.
The reason behind this is the various types of cracks that can occur.
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Hairline Cracks
In the case of improper curing of concrete, these cracks may appear. They are incredibly thin. However, the depth of these cracks has the potential for structural collapse.
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Scaling
This deals with concrete’s improper protection from water. The concrete absorbs the water. When the temperature dips, the concrete expands or air bubbles are created. Both of these apply pressure against the surface, resulting in substantial cracks.
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Offset Cracks
The unevenness beneath the foundation acts as the core reason behind this type of cracking. The difference in height or even external pressure from tree roots ensues offset cracks.
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Stability cracks
The long-term cracks are a result of the declining durability of the site. Repetitive expansion and contraction due to moisture, over a period of time is the cause. These cracks need an immediate and expert diagnosis.
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Foundation settlement
If you feel any part of your house sinking into the ground, it is likely to be the foundation settling. Although this is a natural process and every house settles in, over some time, it is a potential threat.
Slab foundations in Knoxville face regular settling due to the lack of moisture. If the soil beneath the house is not exposed to the required moisture, the soil compactness reduces. This furthers into the weight of the house gradually sinking into the unsteady foundation.
Soil erosion is also an important factor behind foundation settlement. The removal of trees leaves the soil dry. Without moisture, the soil shrinks, and voids are created. Without sturdiness, the foundation turns into an unstable layer on which the house is standing. And within some time, the process of foundation settlement hastens.
Helical pipes, slab piers, and steel push piers are some solutions to this growing concern of the house sinking into the soil.
These are the top concerns that are being addressed by foundation repair services. However, the primary issue of the unreliable foundation lies in the hands of the house occupants. The lack of knowledge and awareness has ensured that they do not know how to identify the issues with the foundation.
Please note the fact that a house is worthless without a reliable foundation. Moving on, some signs reflect the need for slab foundation repair.
Gaps in the ceiling, sloping floors, nail pops are amongst the common signs. To know the signs in detail, click here
Foundation Repair in Knoxville is expensive. The process of dodging exorbitant rates and low-quality services is again strenuous. Rather, you just call the Guardian Foundation Repair.
We treat your house’s foundation as our priority. Contact us here