Expert Foundation Repair Services In Waxhaw, NC

Unfortunately, ground movement and the foundation damage that occurs in response are prevalent issues in Southern North Carolina and the upper portions of South Carolina. Property owners in Waxhaw, Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia, Matthews, Belmont, Indian Trail, Lincolnton, Mint Hill, Monroe, Pineville, Rock Hill, Cornelius, Fort Mill, and several other cities in the surrounding area experience foundation problems at a startling rate.

The geology and climate in Union County are primarily to blame for the widespread foundation damage. Below, we’ll include the specific causes of under-home problems in the area and how they affect your foundation’s structural integrity.

Expansive Soil

Central North Carolina is home to a large deposit of exotic soils believed to have originated from glacial movement hundreds of millions of years ago. Waxhaw falls within the strip of unique earth called the Carolina terrane, which is easily distinguishable from the surrounding areas because of the high accumulation of clay particles in the ground. The expansive clay soil in the area is problematic for three primary reasons.

First, clay soil swells when it gets wet because the small gaps between the tiny clay particles hold an immense amount of water. During and following rainfall, the soil around your foundation expands and inevitably places additional pressure on the concrete under your home. The inward and upward stress against your foundation can cause cracking and the development of structural damage.

Second, expansive soil becomes less voluminous when it loses moisture. Dry clay soil can be just as damaging as moist clay soil because it shrinks and pulls away from the concrete under your home. Small voids can form under your concrete slab and reduce the support it gets from the earth.

When this shrinking process occurs at variable rates under your home, the foundation is subject to differential settling. Unsupported areas can break away from the rest of your home and collapse into the ground. Structural repair is usually required to correct the damages caused by excessive foundation settlement.

The third and final hazard created by Waxhaw’s expansive soil is water intrusion. Clay is significantly more absorbent than sand and silt, so clay-rich soil pulls in and retains water for a longer time than a more balanced soil.

It can hold moisture against your foundation for days following rainfall, increasing the likelihood of water and water vapor entering through foundation cracks or pores in the concrete. As a result, water damage and humidity problems are prevalent in Waxhaw.

Above-Average Rainfall

Southern North Carolina experiences around 43 inches of rainfall each year, which is significantly higher than the national average. Measurable precipitation falls uniformly throughout the year as well, meaning that the soil remains saturated for extended periods.

Concentrated rainfall from passing hurricanes and tropical storms during hurricane season can promote flooding, present additional water and moisture issues for homes in the area.

The excessive and frequent rain makes the ground more likely to swell in response to runoff, so the risk of damaging hydrostatic pressure building outside your foundation is high. Additionally, the regular runoff keeps the soil wet, leaving your concrete more prone to water intrusion and moisture accumulation.

High, Year-Round Humidity

The Charlotte area, including Waxhaw and other surrounding suburbs, is in a subtropical climate characterized by unusually high moisture content in the air. The relative humidity remains between 60 and 70% year-round.

Basements and crawlspaces are naturally prone to moisture accumulation, and the high humidity of the outside air in Waxhaw means a higher rate of associated problems.

Moist air makes its way into under-home areas and gets trapped, leading to various issues like mold growth, damaged construction materials, and decreased air quality in your living area.

Multi-Level Foundations

Lastly, multi-level foundations are a standard building design in North Carolina, with more partial basements than many areas throughout the United States. Split foundations are cheaper to install than full basements or cellars, but they leave your home prone to the effects of differential settling.

The earth naturally dries at different rates depending on the depth, with deeper soil generally taking longer to drain completely. As a result, the ground under the portion of your slab near the surface will dry more quickly than the soil under your partial basement floor.

The variance in drying times may seem minimal, but even minor differences can promote differential settling and the resulting structural problems.

Foundation damage can manifest in a variety of ways, usually depending on the source and extent of the problem. We’ll describe the more widespread warning signs of Waxhaw foundation issues below and how each is typically diagnosed.

Slab or Basement Floor Cracks

Most foundations crack in the first several years after they’re poured as the new construction settles into the ground.

Many homeowners find evidence of settling cracks, which normally show up on the surface of your slab foundation or on your crawlspace or basement floor. Settling cracks are thin and level from one side to the other. It’s a good idea to have a foundation contractor seal them to keep water and moisture out, but they rarely require more extensive repairs.

However, slab or basement floor cracks can be a sign of differential settling if they continue to grow long after construction, wide to ⅛” or more, or have one side of the gap sinking below the other.

If a fissure on your foundation has any of these characteristics, you should consult a structural engineer and have the foundation stabilized.

Vertical Wall Cracks

If you have a crawlspace or basement, you may notice cracks on the foundation walls traveling in a vertical direction. These gaps are almost always a result of the natural settling described previously, and they rarely need structural repair. A general contractor can typically seal them sufficiently to keep your under-home area dry.

Horizontal Wall Cracks

Cracks in your foundation wall that are parallel to the floor signify that the hydrostatic pressure from the expansive soil outside has become too intense for your concrete to resist.

The mounting pressure can push your wall inward to the point where a stress crack forms, at which point your foundation’s structural integrity has been compromised.

This type of foundation damage generally necessitates costly stabilization and an exterior drainage system to reduce moisture in the soil around your concrete.

Stair-Step Wall Cracks

Fissures that form in the shape of stair steps on your concrete block wall suggest that differential settling has caused a section of your foundation to sink more rapidly than the rest.

These gaps are prevalent in Waxhaw, and unfortunately, they require structural repair, usually in the form of underpinning.

Wet Basement or Elevated Moisture

The expansive soil, above-average rainfall, and naturally high humidity in Waxhaw put most homes in the area at risk of water intrusion and moisture build-up.

Runoff can leak through foundation cracks and pool in your crawlspace or basement. You may notice puddling or standing water beneath your house, or water damage or wet spots from past leaks.

An accumulation of water vapor can occur if runoff outside soaks through pores in your concrete and evaporates into the air or if humid air seeps inside and gets trapped.

Either way, you’re likely to notice symptoms of elevated moisture. You may find mold growth, musty odors, noticeable damp air, and signs of insect or rodent infestation, as pests are naturally attracted to moist areas.

Lastly, efflorescence can appear on your concrete walls as a result of intruding water. This is a build-up of minerals from evaporating water, and it looks like white, fuzzy water stains on your concrete.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

Moist air and mold spores can both seep into your living space in a process called the stack effect, and both can negatively affect your indoor air quality.

Moist air feels hotter in the summer and colder in the winter, so uncomfortable conditions in your living area can signify a moisture problem below. You or your family members may react to the discomfort by turning up your heat or air conditioning, so high utility bills can be another indicator of a crawlspace or basement leak.

Mold spores can create allergic reactions if you inhale them. As such, unseasonal allergy symptoms can be a sign of water or elevated humidity under your house.

Structural damage to your foundation won’t occur in a single instance unless a severe, traumatic event occurs. More often, small problems grow over time and eventually result in structural damage.

As such, the best way to keep foundation damage and structural repairs to a minimum is to monitor your home carefully for changes. Below, we’ll describe a complete home inspection you can complete every few months to identify problems as early as possible.

Inspect Your Foundation

Begin your home inspection by examining the concrete underneath your structure. If you have a slab foundation, walk the perimeter of your property and look for fissures and signs of sinking or crumbling concrete.

If you have a crawlspace or basement, continue inside after your exterior assessment. Look for cracks here as well, and mark each with the length and width so that you can compare measurements from inspection to inspection.

You should also look for efflorescence on the walls, mold growth, musty smells, damp air, water damage, evidence of pests residing in the space, and, of course, standing or pooling water. Report any significant changes or new problems to a foundation repair company to have them addressed before they become severe.

Check Your Living Space

Continue your inspection inside, where symptoms naturally appear if the framing or floor joists shift in response to foundation movement. Common signs of a developing problem include cracks forming in the walls around doors and windows, nail heads popping through the drywall, leaning or bowing walls, cabinets and countertops separating from the sheetrock, and unevenness in your flooring including buckling or sloping.

High utility bills and allergy symptoms resulting from under-home moisture accumulation can often go unnoticed or undiagnosed in your daily routine, so take some time during your inspection to assess for these problems.

Inspect the Outside of Your Home

You can complete your inspection outside, where signs of foundation problems typically appear on your home’s exterior and throughout your landscaping.

Look for cracks in your siding, uneven roofing, and crumbling or tilting chimneys, all of which suggest foundation movement below. Leaning retaining walls or raised garden bed walls, puddles on the lawn after rainfall, and an uneven yard can all suggest that expansive soil and inadequate drainage are problems on your property.

Foundation repair in Waxhaw can vary quite a bit in price, generally falling between $300 and $20,000. The average foundation solution cost is approximately $5,500, but we’ll provide some more specific prices below to help you estimate where your total for home improvement will fall.

Non-Structural Crack Repair Cost

Sealing hairline foundation cracks that aren’t structural requires the least amount of work and is unilaterally the cheapest repair solution. Most foundation repair contractors charge between $300 and $800 for this service, with larger cracks sometimes approaching the $1,000 mark.

Cost to Repair Horizontal Wall Cracks

Horizontal cracks from excess hydrostatic pressure require a more involved repair process. Most foundation contractors use earth anchors to pull your wall back into a safe, vertical position and keep it safe from future inward movement.

These anchoring systems generally cost between $3,000 and $5,000, depending on how many wall anchors are required. Some contractors use carbon fiber support strips to stabilize the wall from inside.

These supports cost approximately $500 each for an average total of close to $2,500. This is a cheaper fix than earth anchors, but it’s not always a permanent solution. It’s less likely to include a warranty and provide total peace of mind than earth anchors.

Differential Settling Repair Cost

Differential settling that is severe enough to cause stair-step wall cracks or wide or unlevel basement floor cracks is best repaired with underpinning.

This concrete leveling process includes the placement of push piers under your home to give support that the soil is failing to provide.

Steel piers and helical piers are the most common piling options, costing $1,000 and $3,000 each, respectively. The total cost for this construction service is usually between $5,000 and $20,000.

Mudjacking is another concrete lifting solution that is significantly cheaper at around $2,000. However, it’s generally only suitable for smaller problems, including sinking of concrete driveways or garage floors.

Basement Waterproofing Cost

The best solution for the widespread water intrusion and moisture accumulation problems in Waxhaw is a basement waterproofing system. This system can include a French drain, vapor barriers, dehumidifiers, crawlspace encapsulation, crack sealing, sump pumps, and an interior drainage system.

The price can vary from $2,000 up to about $10,000 depending on what your property requires, but the average cost is $5,500.