Some Construction You See, Some You Don't

The foundation under your home is constructed from concrete and blocks most of the time. However, there was a time when fieldstone and other rocks were used, and some homes still rest on those old foundations. No matter how your home's foundation was made, it is crucial to have an occasional inspection by a residential foundation repair service to ensure that it is sound and performing as expected.

Residential Foundation Inspection 

The age of your home may mean it is time to start considering residential foundation repair, and an inspection of the foundation can help uncover problems. Checking the walls for cracks, damage, and water leaking through is critical. 

If there are cracks in the mortar, a residential foundation repair service can fill them to add strength to the wall. If there are large gaps and water coming through the foundation walls, it may have already been compromised, and the best solution could be to replace the foundation under the home.

Let the inspector complete a full survey of the foundation and the house to determine how extensive the damage is, then they will recommend how to best deal with the situation. A residential foundation replacement is challenging, but most companies can do it with minimal interruption in your daily routine.

Foundation Replacement

A residential foundation replacement requires jacking the home off the foundation and supporting it with beams and jacks while the crew works under it. As the home is raised, the foundation contractor will pay close attention to the walls and ceilings in the house to avoid breaking any sheetrock or wallboard inside. 

The contractor will typically level the structure on the jacks so it can not lean or sway and cause a problem. With the house sitting on jacks, the old foundation is removed, and the soil under the home is prepared for new footings. Once the concrete forms are in place, the residential foundation replacement contractor will have the concrete delivered, and the new footings poured. 

In some foundation designs, poured concrete walls are used to make new foundation walls, while others use poured footing and cinder blocks to make the walls. Both designs are strong, however, there are differences between them. Talk to your contractor about how the different materials work and what is best for your home.  

After the new foundation is in place, the residential foundation repair contractor will lower the structure onto the new foundation and secure it. There are some preparatory tasks that need to be done before the house and the new foundation are mated, but when done correctly, the new foundation will support your home for many years.

For more info about residential foundation repair, contact a local company.