Expert Foundation Repair Services In Spring, TX

Unfortunately, much of Southern Texas is plagued by foundation movement and the resulting complications. Property foundations in Spring, Magnolia, Houston, Conroe, and several other cities in the surrounding area experience damages at an alarming rate.

There are several culprits for the high rate of foundation issues in Spring. We’ll talk about each of these briefly below and describe how each can affect your home’s stability and structural integrity.

Expansive Soil

Expansive soil is one of the most significant issues for homeowners in Southern Texas. Spring is built on soil that has an abundance of clay particles.

In fact, the most prevalent soil in the city is called Houston Black, which is infamous for its high rate of expansion, absorption, and shrinking. The clay soil in Spring creates several problems for concrete foundations.

The most significant damage caused by the clay-rich soil in Spring is due to its ability to expand when it gets wet. Clay particles are tiny, so they offer plenty of space for water to soak in between them and may the ground more voluminous.

As the earth swells, it pushes up against your home’s foundation walls and slab with immense force, often enough to crack the concrete and cripple the foundation’s structural integrity.

Saturated clay soil is tremendously dangerous for foundations, but it can lead to additional problems when it dries. Expansive soil shrinks quite a bit when the water it absorbs drains or evaporates. Your concrete foundation relies on the earth for support, so it naturally settles with the ground as it dries and loses volume.

Settling is common, but the real issue in Spring arises when the soil dries at varying rates around your home. This can lead to differential settling, which causes only portions of your foundation to sink into the earth.

The concrete can only flex so much as the ground underneath shrinks, so differential settling can cause large sections of foundation to crack away from your home and sink more rapidly, leaving your home structurally compromised.

Lastly, the tiny pores between the clay particles make the soil in Spring abnormally absorbent, and it retains water for longer periods than the sandy and silty dirt typical in other areas.

The ground can hold water for days or weeks after rainfall, giving moisture ample opportunity to seep through your concrete and into your under-home area. As such, water damage and moisture accumulation are prevalent problems for homeowners in the Spring area.

Wet Season

Rainfall in any concentration makes the issues with expansive soil more severe. Spring receives an average of around 49 inches of rain annually, which is about 50% higher than the national average. The precipitation is heaviest from April to May during the wet season.

To make matters worse, the city experiences concentrated rainfall between June and November during hurricane season.

The above-average rainfall means the ground gets saturated regularly and expands to its maximum volume, increasing the damaging pressure on your concrete.

Concentrated rain in the spring and summer also adds to the risk of water and moisture issues in your crawlspace or basement, as it leaves your foundation exposed to water for longer periods.

Frequent Drought

Despite the above-average rainfall that is common throughout the year, drought is another natural phenomenon with which the residents of Spring have to contend regularly. The Spring and Houston areas are considered abnormally dry and at moderate risk of drought.

Drought in Texas can last for weeks or even months at a time, allowing the ground around your home to dry completely and shrink. As the moisture content of the soil is depleted, the problems with differential settling become significant.

Additionally, the cyclical nature of the soil’s moisture content between the wet season and frequent drought creates rapid swelling and shrinking that make structural damage a severe risk.

Housing Boom

Lastly, Spring has undergone significant development over the past decade or so, as more and more people relocate to suburban areas near populated southern cities like Houston, Austin, The Woodlands, and San Antonio.

Unfortunately, some builders in the area cut corners during construction in an effort to keep up with the high demand for new housing.

Many homes are built on soil that is improperly excavated, back-filled, and compacted, leaving them at a higher risk of differential settling, the adverse effects of hydrostatic pressure, and water and moisture problems.

Many symptoms frequently occur in Spring that can increase the potential for foundation damage. We’ll discuss these signs below and provide some information on the most likely cause.

Cracks in Your Foundation

Foundation cracks typically accompany any type of damage that forms in response to ground movement. However, they don’t all indicate a loss of structural integrity. The location and size of the gap in your concrete can help you identify the severity.

Vertical Wall Cracks or Floor Cracks

Most foundations develop thin cracks. If they appear in a vertical position on your concrete block walls, they most likely formed during the natural settling process of the concrete after it was poured.

They generally aren’t structural, but they should be sealed to help keep your under-home area dry.

Floor cracks can also be harmless, as long as they remain thin and level across the gap. Hairline fissures in your crawlspace or basement floor can often just be sealed with polyurethane or epoxy.

Broad floor cracks or those that exhibit one side rising above the other usually indicate structural damage from differential settling. They’re considered severe, and they require stabilization before the issue leads to foundation failure.

Horizontal Wall Cracks

Wall cracks that appear in a horizontal orientation result from excessive hydrostatic pressure on your foundation walls.

These are a prevalent issue in Spring because of the highly expansive soil in the area. Unfortunately, they almost always indicate structural damage and necessitate costly stabilization.

Stair-Step Cracks

You may also notice cracks that form along the mortar joints between your concrete blocks in a step pattern. These cracks signify differential settling, another widespread problem in Spring.

These fissures are structural in nature and can lead to massive and expensive property damage if left unrepaired. They typically require house leveling and extensive interior repairs.

Bowing Foundation Walls

The hydrostatic pressure from Spring’s clay-rich soil is often strong enough to create a horizontal fissure in your foundation wall. However, as the stress builds, your crawlspace or basement walls can bulge inward before cracking.

As such, bowing walls are an indicator of inadequate drainage and swelling soil outside your home. A foundation repair expert should address them before a crack forms in response.

Moist or Wet Basement

The absorbent qualities of the dense clay soil in Spring expose your concrete to runoff for extended periods during and after rainfall. The moisture in the soil is forced against your foundation from the hydrostatic pressure, allowing it to soak through cracks or pores in the concrete.

If liquid water leaks through foundation cracks, you’ll likely notice standing water or puddles on the floor under your home after rainfall, wet areas of concrete, or water damage that occurred during flooding.

Moisture accumulation can lead to efflorescence on your foundation walls, mold growth, musty odors, damp or heavy air, and insect or rodent infestations.

All of these symptoms can indicate that your property isn’t drained properly, which means you’re susceptible to water damage as well as the adverse effects of hydrostatic pressure.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

Lastly, many homeowners find symptoms of water and moisture problems in their living space. When humidity or mold spores seep into your upper floors, they can decrease your indoor air quality.

You may notice excessively hot or cold temperatures during the summer and winter, above-average utility bills as you and your family demand more from your HVAC systems to combat the uncomfortable air, and allergic reactions to mold spores, including itchy eyes and cold-like symptoms.

More often than not, significant foundation damage develops from minor issues over long periods. Locating and repairing small problems is far more cost-efficient than waiting until the problem is severe to fix it. For this reason, it’s best to look for symptoms of foundation damage throughout your home about once every three months.

Below, we’ll offer some tips for identifying foundation damage as early as possible.

Inspect the Concrete Under Your Home

Since the majority of Texas homes are built on concrete slab foundations, you’ll likely have to inspect your concrete from outside. You can check for cracks and unevenness under your structure. Most damages are evident around the corners of your house.

If you have a crawlspace or basement, you can continue your examination inside. Look for new or developing cracks, and report any horizontal, stair-step, or wide or uneven floor gaps to a foundation repair company for guidance.

While you’re under your house, pay attention to musty odors, efflorescence, mold growth, heavy air, extreme temperatures, water damage, and signs of pest infestation, including feces, frass, and damage to wood building materials.

Inspect Your Living Space

Your foundation supports your entire structure and offers it a level base, so concrete movement will often present symptoms inside your house.

These include shifting or leaning walls, nails bulging out of the sheetrock, cracks in the drywall around wall openings, and multiple doors or windows becoming challenging to open and close. Keep an eye out for sloping or buckling flooring as well, as these can indicate differential settling.

You can also take time during your routine inspection to check your utility bills for changes and ask your family members if they have uncharacteristic allergy symptoms.

Inspect Your Yard

Lastly, your yard and the exterior of your house can show signs of foundation issues. Bowing or sagging roofing, leaning or crumbling chimneys, and fissures in your siding can all indicate foundation movement.

Inadequate drainage or excessive soil expansion can present symptoms throughout your landscaping as well. Gaps between your foundation and the earth during dry periods suggest that differential settling may be a problem for you.

An uneven lawn or puddles forming in your yard after rainfall can both be signs that expansive soil is present on your property and isn’t drained properly.

Leaning retaining walls can also indicate that your ground is dangerously high in clay particles and could damage your foundation over time.

Foundation repair services in Spring, Texas can range from around $300 to over $20,000, depending on the required type of repair. We’ll offer some project-specific pricing below to help you estimate your cost of repair.

Cost to Seal Non-Structural Cracks

Thin, vertical wall cracks and hairline floor cracks often just need an epoxy crack injection or polyurethane application to prevent moisture from getting under your home. This is the cheapest repair, usually falling in the $300 to $800 range. The average cost is around $450.

Cost to Fix Sinking Foundations or Stair-Step Cracks

Most foundation contractors use underpinning – which is a concrete leveling technique involving the installation of supportive push piers under your foundation – to correct issues with uneven soil settlement. Steel piers and helical piers are the standard options for restoring structural integrity to foundations with step-shaped cracks or evidence of sinking.

Differential settling is a significant risk in Spring, and unfortunately, the cost for this basement or crawlspace repair is often upward of $20,000. The price can be as little as $3,000 but averages approximately $10,000.

Cost to Fix Horizontal Cracks or Bowing Foundation Walls

The hydrostatic pressure that causes bowing foundation walls can sometimes be alleviated with gutters, adequate soil gradation, and an exterior drainage system, like a French drain. If your inward wall movement is minor, this fix may suffice and only cost around $3,000.

However, most foundation repair specialists will recommend earth anchors instead. These anchors cost around $1,000 each for an average total between $3,000 and $5,000. The solution is permanent and often includes a warranty to provide some peace of mind.

Cost to Waterproof Your Basement or Crawl Space

Basement waterproofing systems are popular in Spring because the risk of water and moisture issues is so high. Your basement system should be customized for your home, so it can cost anywhere from $2,500 to upwards of $10,000.

It can include exterior drainage systems, sump pumps, floor or tile drains, waterproof paint, dehumidifiers, vapor barriers, crawlspace encapsulation, and more.