Expert Foundation Repair Services In Dayton, OH

Western Ohio is at severe risk of ground movement and the resulting damages. Property owners in Dayton, Cincinnati, Xenia, Miamisburg, Milford, Springboro, Springfield, Columbus, and many other nearby cities are plagued with foundation problems and often face expensive repair costs to maintain their home’s structural integrity.

Foundation issues in Dayton result from several factors, all of which put your house at risk of structural damage. We’ll describe each of the underlying causes of these problems below and provide some insight into how they affect the concrete under your home.

Expansive Soil

Montgomery County is underlain by soil distinguishable from other parts of Ohio by its high concentration of clay, classifying them as expansive. Expansive soil is one of the most common causes of foundation damage, and it creates three primary problems for homes in Dayton.

The biggest issue with clay soil is that it expands when it gets wet. Clay particles are tiny, and they allow a large amount of water to wick through them via capillary action. As the ground in Dayton gets wet from runoff, the clay soaks up water and swells.

The expanding earth puts excessive inward pressure on your foundation walls and upward stress on your concrete slab. Over time, the expansive soil can crack your concrete, creating severe damage and compromising your home’s structural integrity.

Expansive soil loses that volume as it dries, creating another significant problem for your home’s foundation. When the moisture in the ground drains or evaporates, the soil around your foundation shrinks. This happens with all dirt types, but the abundance of clay in Dayton’s soil often leads to differential settling, which is when the earth settles at different rates under and around your house.

Differential settling can leave inpidual pieces of your foundation without the support it needs from underneath. The concrete can crack under the pressure of your structure and sink further into the ground than the rest of the foundation, leaving your home with severe structural damage.

The last problem with expansive soil is that the tiny gaps between the clay particles absorb and retain moisture more readily than typical dirt. As such, the earth holds water against your concrete for a long time after rainfall, allowing it to soak into the space under your home. Many homeowners in Dayton struggle with moisture problems and water intrusion as a result.

Above-Average & Concentrated Rainfall

The severity of the issues created by expansive soil is largely dependent on the moisture content. Unfortunately, Dayton receives about 44 inches of rain each year, nearly 50% higher than the national average.

The city gets concentrated precipitation from March through July when the monthly average is almost double the rest of the year and measurable rain falls nearly three times each week.

Above-average rainfall means that the ground isn’t able to dry thoroughly before it gets wet again. The soil remains saturated and swelled and adds continuous hydrostatic pressure to your foundation.

The moisture in the ground is also exposed to your concrete for days or weeks at a time, often allowing it to seep through foundation cracks or the pores in the concrete. The concentrated rain in the early summer months makes these issues even worse.

Limestone Presence

Lastly, Dayton is situated above bedrock composed chiefly of limestone. Limestone is problematic as a bedrock because it dissolves when it’s exposed to water. As such, groundwater and runoff can lead to underground erosion that creates caverns and voids where the water drains. The resulting karst landscape makes sinkholes and ground instability common problems for Dayton residents.

Erosion of the bedrock can cause the soil above to collapse, sometimes resulting in your foundation losing the support it needs from the ground underneath if sinkholes are present under your home. This type of instability can result in dangerous differential settling that can necessitate expensive structural repair.

The symptoms of foundation damage on your concrete and throughout your home can vary depending on the underlying cause and how extensive the damage is.

Below, we’ll discuss the most common signs of foundation problems in Dayton and the likely culprit of each.

Foundation Cracks

Cracks develop in most foundations, whether or not there’s an issue with stability or structural integrity. The easiest way to tell the difference between harmless cracks and those that are a significant cause for concern is by looking at where and how they form on your foundation.

Vertical Wall Cracks

If you have a crawlspace or basement, you’ll likely find thin cracks in a vertical orientation on your concrete block walls. These can also appear on slab foundations on the exterior of your home.

They develop in response to normal concrete settling that occurs in the first few years after new construction. These gaps generally aren’t indicative of structural damage but should be sealed to prevent water or water vapor from entering your home.

Horizontal Wall Cracks

Cracks that run horizontally along your foundation wall are much more severe. They develop when the hydrostatic pressure from the soil becomes too intense and the upper portion of your wall pushes inward.

These cracks are generally structural and require stabilization to prevent foundation failure. Unfortunately, they are common in Dayton, where the swelling soil and heavy rainfall combine to create excessive pressure.

Stair-Step Wall Cracks

Cracks that form in the shape of stair steps also suggest structural issues. They appear when differential settling leaves an area of your concrete with inadequate support, causing it to crack away from your home and settle into the ground more quickly.

This is another prevalent problem in Dayton because of the earth’s potential to shrink and the risk of karst.

Step-shaped cracks generally require stabilization, and they can leave your home with significant damage if left untreated.

Basement Floor Cracks

Cracks can also form on your crawlspace or basement floor. These fissures can be difficult to diagnose correctly because they can indicate normal settling or hazardous differential settling.

Generally, hairline cracks in the slab that are level from one side to the other develop during the natural settlement of the concrete after it’s poured. Wider gaps or those that are uneven across the crack tend to signify differential settling and may need stabilization similar to that used to correct stair-step cracks.

Bowing Foundation Walls

Excessive hydrostatic pressure is commonplace in Dayton. It eventually leads to horizontal cracks forming in your crawlspace or basement walls, but you may notice inward bowing the foundation walls before a fissure appears.

Bowing walls are a clear sign that expansive soil is an issue on your property, and they usually lead to structural instability if they aren’t appropriately repaired.

Moist or Wet Basement

Water problems and moisture build-up are pervasive in Dayton and the surrounding area because the expansive soil and above-average rainfall leave foundations exposed to runoff for extended periods. Liquid water and water vapor can both create problems under your home.

Liquid water enters your crawlspace or basement through cracks in the foundation. You may notice standing water or puddling on the floor, wet spots on the concrete, water stains on the walls near gaps in the concrete, or water damage throughout your under-home area.

Water vapor is a bit harder to identify because it enters through pores in the concrete and evaporates into the air. Typical symptoms include damp air in your crawlspace or basement, efflorescence on the concrete walls, mold growth, and musty odors. Insects or rodents taking up residence under your house can also indicate a moisture problem, as pests are naturally attracted to humid areas.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

Lastly, the air quality in your living space can sometimes help you identify a water or water vapor problem because the air under your home unavoidably moves onto your upper floors.

Humid air in your house feels uncomfortably hot in the summer and cold in the winter, so extreme temperatures can indicate moisture problems. You and your family may unknowingly demand more from your heating or cooling systems in response, so high energy bills can be a sign of an issue as well.

Mold spores can seep into your living space, causing allergic reactions like itchy eyes, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can suggest mold growth under your home in response to water intrusion.

Identifying signs of foundation problems before they become severe is one of the best ways to limit damage to your property and the resulting repair costs. Unfortunately, foundation issues are easy to miss because they’re generally out of sight or develop very slowly over time. Below, we’ll detail a home inspection that you can carry out once every three or four months to monitor for changes or signs of a budding problem.

Inspect Your Foundation

Foundation damage is most apparent on the concrete under your house, so begin your inspection there. Look outside for cracks or sinking sections of the foundation, particularly around the corners of your home.

If you have access to the space beneath your first floor, you can also look for gaps on the inside of the concrete. Fissures develop slowly, so we recommend keeping a detailed report of where cracks form and how long and wide they are. You can compare during each inspection to identify any growth.

You should also look for symptoms of water intrusion or moisture build-up. Look for mold growth, efflorescence, musty smells, water or water stains on the concrete, pest infestations, and damp air.

Inspect Your Home’s Interior

Next, you can look for symptoms of foundation damage that develop inside your house, as your structure depends on the concrete below for stability and a level surface. Disruptions in the foundation can result in cracks in the sheetrock, nails popping through the drywall, bowing or leaning walls, sloping or uneven floors, and doors or windows that become difficult to open or close.

Inspect Your Home’s Exterior

Lastly, you can check the outside of your house and your yard for signs of foundation damage. The differential settling and hydrostatic pressure prevalent in Dayton can cause cracks to form in your siding, your chimney to lean or crumble, and roofing to sag above the damaged area.

Additionally, pots in your yard, puddles on your lawn after rainfall, and leaning retaining walls or raised garden bed walls can all indicate that expansive soil is a problem on your property. Report these findings to a foundation repair company for professional assessment and guidance on getting adequate drainage to limit property damage.

Most homeowners in Dayton pay an average of $5,500 for foundation repair services. However, your price may fall anywhere in the range of $250 to $20,000 and sometimes more. We’ll offer some project-specific pricing below to help you get a better estimate for fixing your foundation issue.

Cost to Seal a Foundation Crack

Most general contractors can seal non-structural settling cracks for between $300 and $800. Wide vertical wall cracks may be up to around $1,000, as they need to be treated in a way that limits future expansion.

Cost to Fix a Horizontal Crack or Bowing Foundation Wall

Excessive hydrostatic pressure can sometimes be corrected with simple measures like gutters, downspouts, and a French drain. However, the soil in Dayton typically requires more extensive repairs. Most foundation crack repair experts use earth anchors to pull your compromised wall back to its original position and keep it there even if the soil continues to add stress as it swells.

Earth anchors cost between $3,000 and $5,000 in most cases. Your price may be higher if you have larger walls or if patios or other landscaping features make excavating difficult.

Cost to Fix a Stair-Step Crack or Wide/Uneven Floor Crack

The best solution for fixing damages caused by differential settling is underpinning, which involves installing push piers under your foundation. These pilings support the concrete from below and distribute your house’s weight further down into the earth, where shrinking soil isn’t as severe of a problem.

Foundation repair contractors in Dayton typically charge around $10,000 for underpinning, but the price can fall anywhere between $5,000 and $20,000 depending on the type of pier used, how many pilings your home requires, and whether or not a warranty is included in the cost.

Cost for Basement Waterproofing

Basement waterproofing systems are a common repair in Dayton because of the expansive soil and the heavy and concentrated rainfall. A basement system should be customized for your house, but a complete setup includes an exterior drainage system, sump pumps, dehumidifiers, an interior drainage system, a vapor barrier, and crawlspace encapsulation, if applicable.

The cost for waterproofing can be anywhere between $2,500 and $10,000, but most homeowners in Dayton pay around $5,500 for their system.