Water can make its way into basements through a number of different avenues. However, one of the most common ways that moisture makes its way into a basement is through foundation cracks. When foundation cracks form on the outside of a foundation, they essentially invite water to pass through them.
The question you might have is: how do foundation cracks show up in the first place? What causes foundation cracks in Elmhurst, Illinois?
The truth of the matter is that they can be caused by a number of factors, the most common of which will be discussed below.
Natural Shifting
Over time, the earth’s soil shifts. There is just a natural geological phenomenon that we’re forced to deal with. Unfortunately, it can have some rather severe consequences on home foundations.
If you build your home on a solid piece of soil, and if your soil was prepared properly prior to building, your foundation generally won’t experience this type of cracking for decades and decades. However, if you built your home on an unstable or improperly prepared piece of soil, it could cause foundation cracking within a few years.
Unfortunately, there’s little you can do about this after your home has been built. However, you can repair foundational cracks as they show up.
Poorly Compacted Soil
One of the keys to minimizing soil shifting is to compact the soil before a house is built. Unfortunately, in some cases, incompetent home builders will build homes without properly compacting the soil around the foundation. This usually leads to premature foundational cracking.
The best way to deal with this problem is by taking measures to avoid it in the first place. However, if you’re encountering it currently, you might be able to minimize the damage by having foundation piers installed.
Hydrostatic Pressure
Hydrostatic pressure is the term used to describe the phenomenon of water forcing itself against the foundation of your home. Driven by gravity, this type of pressure increases as more and more water collects against the side of a foundation.
While it doesn’t always have a quick effect on your foundation, it most certainly has an effect. Slowly, as it builds, it wears away at your foundation, causing its structural integrity to become compromised. Eventually, this slow deterioration leads to cracking.
Fortunately, you can deal with this problem by minimizing the amount of groundwater that is able to sit next to your foundation. Drain tile and downspout extensions, in particular, can help to accomplish this.
Improper Drainage
Why does hydrostatic pressure occur? Because water is allowed to seep down into the ground around a home’s foundation. By keeping water from your home’s foundation, you can reduce hydrostatic pressure.
If the drainage systems installed in and around your home are not set up properly, they will almost certainly lead to foundation cracks. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that they’re funneling water away from your home as intended.
Tree Roots
If you have trees planted in close proximity to your home, there’s a small chance that their roots could be growing into the side of your home’s foundation. As these roots grow stronger and take up more space, they will apply increased pressure to the foundation, eventually causing it to crack.
Should you stumble across this problem, you’ll probably need to have the tree uprooted. Otherwise, the problem will likely grow progressively worse over time.
Looking for Elmhurst Foundation Crack Repair and Basement Waterproofing Company?
Are you dealing with cracks in your foundation? Looking to have them repaired? If so, and if you’re looking for foundation crack repair company in Elmhurst, specifically, ULB-DRY Waterproofing can help.
Our professionals are well-versed in the maintenance and repair of all types of foundation cracks. Regardless of the nature and number of cracks you’re dealing with, we can accommodate you. We specialize in all basement waterproofing methods including drain tiles, membranes and much more.
Contact us now to schedule an appointment!