4.9 Is Construction Affecting My Home's Foundation?
According to VibrationDamage.com, construction that causes vibrations in the earth can lead to foundation damage in nearby homes. Common causes of vibration damage are vibratory compaction, pile driving, and blasting. Ground vibration standards are meant to protect houses from damage, but they are based on single, short-duration events that are not representative of long-lasting events, such as city construction.
"A road construction contractor's own partial production of selected vibration monitoring data indicated that it violated relevant road construction vibration standards well more than six hundred times in the course of a project," says vibrationdamage.com.
How Can I Tell If I Have Foundation Damage?
Foundation problems often develop slowly, but early warning signs can appear both inside and outside your home. Recognizing these signs early can help prevent more serious and costly damage down the road.
- Stair-Step Cracks
- Cracks forming in a stair-step pattern along brick or block walls are a common symptom of foundation damage. These cracks often widen over time as the foundation continues to shift or settle.
- Problem Doors or Windows
- If your doors or windows begin sticking, jamming, or pulling away from their frames, your foundation may be shifting. You might also notice cracks extending from the corners of window or door frames, or new gaps that require additional caulking.
- Drywall Cracking
- Inside your home, cracks may appear in drywall around door and window corners or along seams. In some cases, drywall tape may buckle, rip, or pull away, another indicator of foundation movement.
Why is this happening?
When nearby construction or heavy equipment causes vibrations, the soil around your home can experience a process called liquefaction. During liquefaction, the soil temporarily loses its strength and behaves more like a liquid than a solid. As the vibrations stop, the soil compacts unevenly, which can cause your foundation to sink deeper into the ground. This movement puts stress on your foundation and can lead to cracks, settlement, and structural damage over time.
How Can Frontier Foundation & Crawl Space Repair Help?
- Wall Straightening
- For bowing or tilting walls, Frontier installs Foundation Supportworks’ Geo-Lock Wall Anchors to stabilize and straighten foundation walls over time. Steel rods are extended through the foundation wall and secured to soil anchors outside the home, while wall plates inside distribute the pressure evenly. If anchors aren’t possible, Frontier can install the PowerBrace Wall Repair System, which gradually restores walls to their original position.
- Settlement Repair
- When a home settles due to weak or shifting soil, Frontier installs warrantied Push Piers or Helical Piers to permanently stabilize the foundation. These piers are driven deep into the ground until they reach stable soil or bedrock, ensuring long-term support and preventing further settlement.
Call us today!
Frontier Foundation & Crawl Space Repair has the specialized equipment, proven products, and professional experience needed to permanently repair your foundation. Our team will provide a free foundation repair quote and connect you with one of our foundation specialists, who can answer any questions you may have.
Contact us today to schedule your complimentary, no-obligation quote and take the first step toward restoring your home’s stability and safety.