Expert Foundation Repair Services In Jackson, MS

Unfortunately, foundation movement and the resulting structural damage are significant risks in many areas throughout Mississippi. Property owners in Jackson, Madison, Brandon, Ridgeland, Canton, Clinton, and other cities in the surrounding area deal with foundation issues regularly.

Jackson’s soil composition, climate, and bedrock are primarily to blame for the frequency of foundation damage. We’ll discuss each of these factors below and provide a brief explanation of why each is detrimental to your home’s structural integrity.

Expansive Soil

Mississippi is notorious for its expansive soil, commonly referred to as Yazoo clay. This clay-rich dirt is well-known for its extreme swelling and shrinking capabilities, and it plagues homes in Jackson and throughout much of Mississippi. There are three main issues with the expansive clay soil in the area.

The first and most significant issue is the Yazoo clay’s ability to swell, sometimes to more than 130% of its dry volume.

Runoff from the frequent rainfall in Mississippi soaks into the earth and causes it to swell, placing upward stress on your concrete slab and inward stress on your crawlspace or basement walls.

This added hydrostatic pressure very frequently becomes intense enough to crack the concrete and cause structural damage to your home.

The second major problem with Yazoo clay is that it loses just as much volume when water drains out of it and the ground dries. During periods of little or no precipitation in Jackson, the soil becomes less voluminous. It can shrink away from the concrete or the supports under your home and leave small voids below.

The soil often dries unevenly under your house, so it also shrinks at different speeds as well. The portions of your concrete that lose support more quickly can crack and separate from the rest of your foundation, compromising the structural integrity of your entire home. Foundation failure can result from the differential settling, often necessitating very costly and intrusive repairs.

Lastly, the Yazoo clay underlying Jackson soaks in and retains water more readily than typical dirt. The absorbent qualities of the ground around your foundation not only contribute to the ongoing risk of hydrostatic pressure but also pose issues with water intrusion through cracks or pores in your concrete foundation.

Above-Average Rainfall & Flooding

Jackson’s soil is most dangerous when the moisture content fluctuates rapidly or frequently or remains saturated for long periods. Unfortunately, the city receives a massive 50 inches of rain each year, more than one and a half times the national average.

The above-average rainfall keeps the ground wet for most of the year, meaning the soil against your foundation will be continually swelled and will place constant excess stress on your concrete. The risks associated with hydrostatic pressure are significantly higher due to the excessive precipitation.

Additionally, rain in Jackson falls frequently and in concentrated amounts, making flash flooding a severe and ongoing danger throughout the city during rainstorms. Flooding can intensify the effects of hydrostatic pressure and increase the likelihood of water and moisture infiltrating your home and causing damage and complications.

Limestone and Dolomite Bedrock

Lastly, the bedrock situated under Jackson’s soil can present several problems for home foundations in the area. Much of Mississippi is underlain by limestone and dolomite, both of which dissolve when they remain in contact with water.

Draining runoff and groundwater both contribute to underground erosion of the bedrock and gradually carve away caverns and water channels deep below the surface.

These subterranean voids can collapse if they become too large, resulting in ground instability and sinkholes under or around your foundation.

The downward movement of soil in response to the collapsing of these voids can promote differential settling under your home, leaving sections of the concrete to sink deeper into the earth to find the support it needs.

There are various symptoms you may notice throughout your home if your foundation is suffering from the damages described above. We’ll go over the typical warning signs below, along with the most plausible underlying cause.

Foundation Cracks

Most foundations crack in some fashion, but not all fissures indicate structural problems. The positioning, direction, and physical characteristics of the gap can help you determine the likely culprit and how severe the issue is.

Hairline Slab or Basement Floor Cracks

Thin gaps on the surface of your slab or on your crawlspace or basement floor are generally harmless. These form in response to typical settlement after the slab is poured during new construction, and they rarely suggest structural problems.

Given the high risk of water and moisture problems in Jackson, the best option is to have a foundation repair company apply a polyurethane or epoxy sealant to them.

Wide or Uneven Floor Cracks

If cracks in your slab or basement floor continue to widen years after construction or become unlevel at any point, your home is probably suffering from differential settling.

This type of damage requires sealing as well, but it also necessitates substantial stabilization before the crack is filled.

Vertical Wall Cracks

If your home is built slab-on-grade, you may find vertical cracks on the outside face of the concrete under your home. If you have a crawlspace, basement, or pier and beam foundation, vertical cracks may appear on the interior foundation walls.

These are almost always a result of common settling and seldom require repair beyond sealing.

Horizontal Wall Cracks

Horizontally-oriented cracks in your concrete block walls develop when the soil around your home bears too much weight on the vertical concrete.

These fissures are typically structural in nature, and unfortunately, they’re widespread in Jackson because of the high swelling capability of the Yazoo clay in the ground and the excessive rainfall in the area.

Step-Shaped Wall Cracks

Differential settling from drying clay soil or ground instability in response to bedrock erosion can lead to the formation of step-shaped cracks on your foundation walls.

These gaps suggest severe structural problems and can lead to total foundation failure if they aren’t stabilized quickly by a foundation repair contractor.

Moist or Wet Basement or Crawlspace

Lastly, the prevalence of water intrusion and under-home moisture build-up in Jackson leave many different warning signs beneath and inside houses.

Liquid water can leak through foundation cracks fairly easily, especially since the concrete under your structure remains in contact with the moisture suspended in the clay-rich soil for long periods.

You may notice pooling or standing water in your crawlspace or basement, water stains on the concrete, and water damage to building material in the area.

Water vapor generally accumulates under your house after runoff seeps through pores in the concrete and evaporates into the air once inside. Typical symptoms of excess humidity include efflorescence on the walls, insect or rodent infestation, mold growth, moldy odors, and noticeably damp air.

Any type of water or moisture in your crawlspace or basement can affect the air quality in your living space as well. If humid air seeps into your upper floors, you may experience uncomfortably hot or cold temperatures in your house or higher utility bills from increased demand on your heating and cooling systems.

Similarly, airborne mold spores can rise into your living space and create abnormal or unseasonal allergy symptoms, including runny nose, itchy eyes, and respiratory distress.

Identifying and addressing foundation problems as quickly as they begin to develop can drastically reduce the damage they cause and the cost of repairing them. Unfortunately, many symptoms go unnoticed until the issues become severe.

Below, we’ll detail a home inspection you can complete to monitor for signs of a problem under your home. We recommend carrying out this examination every three months in order to detect warning signs early.

Inspect Your Foundation

Your first step will be to inspect the concrete under your house. Check the visible parts of your foundation from the outside of your home, looking for cracks, crumbling, and any indication that an area of your structure is sinking unevenly.

If you have access to the area below your first floor, head there next to continue your concrete examination. Complete a thorough inspection of the concrete floor and foundation walls, looking for any fissures on the surface.

We recommend keeping a written and ongoing report of any gaps that you find. Include length and width measurements each time for later comparison, as growing cracks can indicate worsening damage.

While you’re under your house, look for symptoms of water and moisture problems as well, including efflorescence and mold on the walls, musty smells, moist air, visible water, and pest infestations.

Continue Inside Your Home

Your structure depends on its foundation for a level base and adequate support, so any insufficiency in the concrete below will often bring about symptoms throughout your living space.

First, look for signs of shifting framing behind your walls. You may notice leaning or bowing walls, nail heads being forced through the surface of the drywall, cracks developing around the corners of windows, doors, and rooms, and countertops or cabinets separating from the walls behind them.

Next, examine your floors on all levels throughout your home, as your floor joists rely on your foundation for stability as well. Look for buckling, unlevel, and sagging floors. You can use a long level or straight edge to help identify uneven or sloping sections.

Finally, review your utility bills for unusual increases, and ask your family members if they’ve experienced abnormal allergic reactions, which could be a sign of mold under your home.

Finish Your Inspection Outside

Finally, head back outside to inspect the exterior and landscaping. Look for fissures in the siding and sagging roofing, as well as cracked, damaged, or tilting chimneys.

After rainfall, you can check your yard for puddles on the surface, a reasonable indication that expansive clay soil is prevalent on your property and may damage your foundation if you have inadequate drainage around your structure.

You can also look for leaning retaining walls or unevenness throughout your yard, as these can help identify problematic expansive soil as well.

Homeowners in Jackson pay an average of around $5,500 for foundation solutions, but the price fluctuates wildly, depending on the specific service you need. We’ll include some typical costs below for the more common foundation repairs required in the area.

Cost to Seal Foundation Cracks

Concrete cracks that are confirmed not to pose a threat to your foundation’s structural integrity are the most affordable and straightforward repair solution. Most foundation repair specialists can complete this wall repair service for between $300 and $800.

Cost to Fix Horizontal Cracks

Excessive hydrostatic pressure from the Yazoo clay soil in Jackson is best remedied using earth anchors. Earth anchors installation typically costs between $3,000 and $5,000 based on the size of the wall that requires stabilization.

Many homes in Jackson suffering from swelling soil also require an exterior drainage system to remove moisture from the ground and limit expansion. These systems generally add around $2,500 to your total price.

Cost to Fix Sinking Foundation or Stair-Step Cracks

Differential settling problems from drying clay soil or bedrock erosion typically require underpinning for stabilization.

Underpinning is a form of concrete leveling that lifts the recessed sections of your foundation onto push piers for added support. Steel piers and helical piers are both commonly used in Mississippi, costing around $1,000 and $3,000, respectively. The total price for this basement or crawlspace repair typically falls between $5,000 and $20,000.

Minor sinking problems under slabs can sometimes be corrected with mud jacking, a concrete lifting technique that uses cementitious material to raise the sunken portion of the concrete. This is a more affordable repair at around $2,500.

However, it’s not always a permanent solution, so it may not include a warranty or provide the same peace of mind as underpinning.

Cost to Fix Water Intrusion or Moisture Build-Up

Basement waterproofing systems are generally the best solution for homes suffering from water intrusion and moisture accumulation. Your basement system may include French drains, sump pumps, crawlspace encapsulation, dehumidifiers, gutters, downspouts, and a variety of other techniques for limiting the water content in your soil.

These setups range from around $2,000 to $10,000, with the average price totaling approximately $5,500.