Expert Foundation Repair Services In Huntsville, AL

The Rocket City is undoubtedly in a class of its own when it comes to space achievements. With the Space and Rocket Museum serving as one of its leading tourist attractions, the city has a lot more going on. As reported by the U.S. News and World Report, Huntsville is the most affordable place to live in Alabama and the 15th best place to live in the country. It is, no doubt, worth the accolades. Residents of Rocket City are privileged to have access to world-class education and a job market that pays some of the highest salaries in the country.

If you dig deeper into the city’s history, you will discover that it hosts many heritage homes, with some dating back to the 17th century. The oldest home, Henry Whitefield Home, was built in 1639. Though new buildings are coming up every year, the city’s average home age is 39 years.

When it comes to foundation issues, older homes are more likely to need repairs, which is the case in Huntsville. Factors such as tree root invasion, soil movement, etc., may contribute to foundation movement as the building ages. These causes often result in foundation cracks, leaky basements, and cracked walls, among others. Instances of foundation damage are most common in the Old Town, Twickenham, and Five Points Historic districts, where there are older homes.

Several factors cause foundation damage in Huntsville. These range from weather to soil causes, hydrostatic pressure, tree root invasion, and more.

Excess Precipitation

Huntsville’s climate is characterized by hot summers and short but cold winters. Rain is quite plentiful during winter and spring, but generally, the city receives significant amounts of rain, even during the driest months.

High amounts of precipitation are a leading cause of foundation problems, mainly due to the nature of Huntsville soils. The city sits on the Tennessee River Valley, flanked by a chain of mountains, namely Round Top, Huntsville, Wade, and Madkin. These mountains are capped with sandstone, but the valley itself is underlain with limestone. Essentially, the soils in Huntsville have evolved from bedrock weathering and are mainly alluvial, composed of sand, silt, and clay.

In areas where the clay concentration is high, soil expansion is prevalent. Usually, clay doesn’t allow water to flow through. Instead, it absorbs it, leading to expansion. When it expands, the movement may affect the foundation, causing it to heave and crack.

The situation is made worse if the landscape surrounding the house has poor drainage. For this reason, builders often recommend a combination of different types of drainage systems such as French drains, downspouts, catch basins, and such, to help channel as much water as possible away from the building.

Tectonic Activity

Earthquakes, though mild, are pretty frequent in Huntsville and happen to be responsible for some of the foundation repairs we perform. These constant earth movements wreak havoc on the structural integrity of buildings. Though they may not have a sudden effect, the tremors, however mild, may finally cause differential settlement, especially if other triggers are present. Essentially, differential movement occurs when one part of the foundation moves while the other remains intact.

As such, raft and pile foundations are normally recommended to minimize the occurrence of differential settlement. A combination of steel and concrete also helps in strengthening the foundation, to mitigate the risk of damage.

Poorly Compacted Soils

When laying the foundation, sometimes builders use fill dirt or fill soil to level the site. If the native and the foreign soils have varying properties, they may react differently under the building’s weight or when water seeps in. This may lead to the type of foundation movement we have mentioned above: differential settlement.

Even where the builders use a similar fill soil, issues may still arise if the soil is poorly compacted. In that case, differential, tilting, or uniform settlement may occur, depending on whether the soil is uniformly compacted or some parts are looser than others. With tilting settlement, the foundation tilts towards one side, while uniform settlement involves the settling of the entire foundation.

Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure is the force standing water exerts on the surroundings. If the building stands on a poorly-drained area, rainwater or water from irrigation may pool under the foundation. That’s why the heavy downpours that often rock Huntsville from time to time pause a threat to foundations.

Even where soils are reasonably drained, too much water raises the groundwater levels which then exerts pressure on the foundation and basement walls, thereby causing movement. When that happens, basement leaking, cracked or bowed walls, increased humidity, and mold growth, to name a few, often arise.

Invasive Tree Roots

Many Huntsville residents love the aesthetic appeal our native trees add to their landscapes. It’s not uncommon to see tree canopies surrounding homesteads. Besides, they provide a shading effect, shielding buildings from harsh sun rays. Trees also act as windbreaks, keeping roofs from being blown off by strong winds. However, despite the numerous benefits they offer, some tree species cause devastating effects on foundations.

As they spread out their roots for support, water, and nutrients, they sometimes crack the plumbing, leading to water leaks. When the water pools together, it exerts hydrostatic pressure on the foundation and basement walls, as explained above.

Once the foundation cracks, the tree roots may penetrate through the crevices. As they grow in and expand in size, they can even cause the building to crumble.

Deep Root Decay

Foundation movements related to organic substance decay often occur in areas where land developers cleared trees to construct buildings. If some roots were left underneath, they decompose over time, causing the soil to shift downwards. Movement in the soil may result in foundation settlement at that particular spot, leading to cracks.

Signs of foundation damage will vary depending on the type of movement. For instance, uniform settlement may manifest differently from differential movement. Often they can cause the foundation to sink, shift, bow, or crack. Though these effects may not be noticeable, especially on foundations that run deep, the damage signs will still be evident on the rest of the building. These may manifest as follows:

Bowed or Cracked Walls

Cracked and bowed walls are a sure sign of foundation damage. If the foundation gives in to hydrostatic pressure or shifts due to any other reasons we have discussed above, the movement may cause the walls in your living space to bow or crack. Sometimes you may notice separation at the corners between the wall and the floor or the ceiling.

Sticking Doors and Windows

If the foundation damage causes the walls or floor to shift, you may have difficulty closing your doors and windows. Sometimes doors and windows may stick during hot weather due to expansion, but if the sticking accompanies cracks or depressions on your floors and walls, then you may need to have your foundation repaired.

Depressed or Cracked Floors

Foundation movement may cause floors to sag in areas where the damage has occurred. Cracks may also occur either together with the sagging or without sagging, depending on the type of foundation damage.

Foundation Leaks

Foundation movement may result in cracks on the slab or basement walls. When this happens, water can leak in. Though some leaks may be too little to notice, you will often know when the concrete is leaking by increased humidity in the house. You may also smell a musty odor or spot mold growing in your basement or wherever the cracks are visible.

Huntsville City construction codes require a permit before commencing any significant building reworks such as foundation repair. To get the permit, you must provide a structural engineer’s report.

An engineer’s report is vital. Not only do they recommend the appropriate repair depending on the specific type of damage, but they suggest possible ways of resolving the original causes to avoid future recurrence. Essentially, consulting our engineers provides assurance and guarantees the structural integrity of your building.

For instance, if you have a leaky basement, the engineer will seek to find the root cause of the problem. If the problem results from poor drainage, they may suggest ways of improving it such as correcting or improving the drainage system.

Then based on the type of movement involved, they will recommend an appropriate remedy. Different foundation issues call for unique interventions. Some may require slab jacking, other damages will need underpinning with piers, while grouting may be necessary in most cases where cracks have occurred.

The cost of foundation repair in Huntsville varies depending on the extent of the damage and the fixing required.

The value and age of a home may also impact the cost of repair significantly. Like any other repair, there’s always a risk looming. Hence, we will want to protect ourselves from possible liability by charging a higher fee for high-value and older homes. According to the 2015-2019 Census report, the average home value in Huntsville is about $182,900. Again, most homes here may be considered aged, as they average about 39 years old.

That said, the average cost of repair is about $4,000, but this can go down to several hundred dollars or even exceed $15,000, depending on the factors mentioned above. For instance, underpinning the basement with piers may cost you $2,000 per unit, on average. If our engineer recommends mudjacking, this may cost you $1,000, on average.

Note that the above costs are averages. You could pay lower or higher, depending on your situation. The charges would only involve foundation correction. If the damage had caused depressed floors or bowed walls, the costs of stabilizing the walls may escalate the price, sometimes close to $10,000 or more. You will also need to factor in the inspection report fees, which could range between $300 and $1,000.

Soil is a crucial factor in a foundation’s strength and performance. Soils are mainly composed of different ingredients such as sand, loam, clay, silt, and rocks. Different soil types expand and contract at different rates.

In Huntsville, the soil is predominantly alluvial, which has developed from weathering of the underlying limestone. As earlier mentioned, alluvial soils are composed of deposits of sand, silt, and clay. In most cases, this type of soil is decently drained, but in areas where the clay content is higher, foundation problems may arise due to soil expansion.

Usually, when the moisture in the soil increases, clay absorbs it and expands. This is unavoidable in Huntsville since the city receives high amounts of precipitation throughout the year. As the soil moves, foundation instability may occur and lead to damage over time.