Why is My Foundation Settling and Not My Neighbor's?

Why are foundation problems occurring in my home and not all of my neighbors are having the same issues?

There are many potential causes of foundation settlement. Some of those causes may sway entire neighborhoods, while others can be site specific. Some examples that might be site definite are poor drainage, poorly compacted fill placed directly under the home's foundation, different levels of moisture from irrigation, run-off or plumbing leaks, vegetation planted near the foundation, inadequate structural design, etc.

DRYWALL SETTLEMENT

Often, the construction distress may be the corollary of any conditions, and cannot be explained with 100 percent certainty. A appropriate geotechnical estimate with soil borings may help identify the cause, but does nothing to mitigation the symptoms. The Fsi push pier can stablize the structure regardless of the cause.

If my house has placed 1 1/2 inches, why am I not looking more interior damage?

There are a couple of potential reasons for this. The most tasteless is that the wood framing and interior finishes are made of materials that are more flexible and forgiving than the rigid concrete foundation. Also, when a house settles the wood framed part will often not rule as swiftly as the foundation. In other words, the house hasn't caught up with the foundation yet and is slightly suspended above the foundation. The framing will at last sag and catch up the foundation movement.

Understanding the basic causes of foundation settlement is an foremost step for every engineer to create an appropriate solution for the home. A good resource to get started on educating yourself about foundation mend is a book called Foundation Technology, A Guide to What Goes on Under Your Feet, which has sections dedicated to soil conditions present along the Front Range, as well as helpful checklists, solution sections, and soil mapping.

Check out www.foundationtechnologyebook.com or sense our office for your copy of the printed 3rd edition.

Why is My Foundation Settling and Not My Neighbor's?

DRYWALL SETTLEMENT