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A composition of soil known primarily as “sandy loam” is a mixture of sand, clay, silt, and organic matter. Sandy loam soil is a very stable soil that shows little change with increasing or decreasing humidity and can easily support a slab base. Problems occur if the builder adds filler to the substrate that has a different soil composition. If this additional backfill consists of a higher clay content, then expansive conditions can occur if balanced moisture is not maintained around the base.

Let’s identify some obvious observations. If your interior doors are difficult to close and you are seeing cracks in the drywall, or cracks in the exterior siding or perhaps masonry; then you may be experiencing foundation problems. Whether your home was built on a pillar and beam or on a concrete slab foundation, these problems can occur.

The most common cause of these problems is that the perimeter of the base is unevenly saturated with moisture. As long as there is a period of several months with minimal rainfall, it will have a variation of moisture saturation in the soil around the perimeter of its base. Unbalanced humidity will cause stress and movement and if one part of your house settles faster than another, then you will have problems.

The older your foundation, say about twenty years, the more you will need to apply the following simple preventive procedures. By doing so, you will enjoy your home for many years to come without problems.

The simplest method of preventing and controlling this problem is a timed irrigation system around the perimeter of your home that runs three to four days a week for 15 to 20 minutes each day. A well-maintained gutter and gutter system is critical to maintaining balanced moisture around the foundation.

Watch the drainage around your home, as improper grading often results in foundation problems down the road. Grading should always divert water from your home to prevent water from pooling around the foundation. Surface grading must slope away from the foundation at a slope of 5% or more for the first ten feet from the foundation.

Another concern with sandy loam is erosion, also a good reason to make sure you have good drainage around the base. The puddles saturate the sand causing it to move creating a movement known as floating slab.

If your foundation is experiencing excessive settlement, you should correct this problem as soon as possible because in wet weather the soil will swell and in dry weather it will shrink causing constant stress on the foundation. Over several years, this recurring movement will cause extensive damage and will be very expensive to repair.

If your home is on a pier and beam, a home leveling company simply lifts your home, levels it, and then makes adjustments to the building blocks on which it rests. If you have a concrete slab, you may need to resort to slab extraction to correct the damage. This is accomplished by digging footings every 6 to 7 feet below the support beams and compressing the concrete cylinders to a competent soil layer.

Home leveling and stabilization should be completed professionally and inspected by a registered engineer.

After foundation settlement problems are identified and repaired, be quick to take the preventative measures suggested in this article to avoid further damage.

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