Foundation Damage: Knowing When It Is Time To Hire A Florida Foundation Repair Company

Foundation Damage: Knowing When It Is Time To
Hire A Florida Foundation Repair Company

By
FoundationRepair-fl.com

Foundation Damage: Knowing When It Is Time To Hire A Florida
Foundation Repair Company
“This article is written by an independent resource not
affiliated with Ram Jack.”
Florida’s combination of cool, damp earth
and dry, hot air has a damaging effect on
the foundation of many houses.
If you live in Florida, it is important to look for the signs of
foundation damage and to call a Florida foundation repair
company as soon as they appear.
Several places should be checked for possible damage and
several signs that should set off clear warning bells.
Foundation Repair

Your foundation is an integral structural part of your home and
it affects the building from the basement all the way to the roof
if it is weakened or failing.
If you are worried about foundation
damage, the first place you should
check is the outside of your house.
Damage usually starts at the bottom
and works its way up, so you should
first look at the foundation itself.
Florida Foundation Repair

Cracks indicate a severe problem and you should call a Florida
foundation repair company immediately if you see even a small
one.
The cracks may be in the foundation itself, or they may have
spread up through the brick and the outer walls of your home.
Foundation damage may not be
so obvious, however, and there
are a number of more subtle
signs to look for.
Foundation Repair

Poor structural elements can set
the whole house out of line and
you should check to see if the
fascia board is pulling away or if
there are gaps around the
windows and doors before calling
a Florida foundation repair
expert.


Once you have examined the outer part of your house, it is time
to check inside.
If you have a basement, this is a good place to start, as it is usually
the first part of the house to suffer damage.
As always, cracks in the walls are
the biggest sign that it is time to
call a Florida foundation repair
company.
Some cracks, however, may be
too small to see.
Orlando Foundation Repair

In a basement, the best way to determine if
there are tiny cracks in the walls is to look
for water intrusion.
This is particularly accurate in Florida, where
the ground is full of moisture.
You should also take a look at the angle of
the walls.
Check if they are squared with the ceiling
and the floor.

If they look like they are leaning either in or out, it
may be time to call for Florida foundation repair.
After the basement, you can move to the inside of
your house.
Above ground, cracks tend to manifest more in
the floors and sheetrock than in the walls
themselves.
The floors may be hard to check if they are
carpeted, but cracks will be obvious in hardwood
or tile.
Foundation Repair

A sloping floor is also a sign that
you may have foundation
problems, as are windows and
doors that are misaligned.
Even something as subtle as a
window that sticks or a door that
does not close properly may be a
sign of much large problems.


If you have an attached garage,
you should also inspect this
before calling for Florida
foundation repair.
Garages often experience signs
such as gaps around the doors
and windows, cracked brick and
walls that are rotating out.


Before calling a Florida foundation repair company, it is also
important to understand what has caused your foundation damage.
Understanding the cause will ensure that you can give the repair
company all the information they need to properly fix your
foundation.
Additionally, while repair is the first step
to regaining a sound foundation, you may
also need to address the root problems
so that the damage does not recur
several years down the road.

Evaporation is one of the main causes of
foundation damage in Florida.
Water from the soil evaporates into the
hot, dry air, causing the soil to shrink.
As the ground pulls away from the
foundation, the house settles into the
empty space, often causing cracks to form.
A large tree, or a number of trees, can have
a similar effect on the soil as the roots suck
moisture out of the ground.

As damaging as desiccation can be, however, excess moisture can
also result in the need for Florida foundation repair.
Excess dampness will erode the soil, or consolidate it beneath the
house, causing the building to settle and the foundation to crack.
Two leading causes of excess
moisture are improper drainage and
leaky plumbing.
Finally, foundation damage may be
the result of poor construction.

If the foundation was not laid properly, did not use enough steel or
was built with inferior concrete, it may be more easily damaged.
The leading cause of foundation damage, however, is poor soil
preparation.
Soil that is too soft, not dense enough, or
was not properly compacted before
construction is far more likely to shift or
consolidate, leaving you with the bill for
Florida foundation repair.


If you suspect that you have a foundation problem, it is important to
call a Florida foundation repair company immediately.
A good company will work with you to determine the cause of the
problem and to find a solution that will prevent it from happening
again in the future.
Because local soil conditions play such a
large role in house settlement, it may be
a good idea to find a company that
originates in Florida and is familiar with
the most common local problems.

You can usually check this by looking at the Florida foundation
repair company’s website and reading about their history.
Even if they did not start out in Florida, you should see how long
they have been working in the area.
A Georgia foundation repair
company may be just as
knowledgeable, particularly if they
have been in Florida for several
years or even decades.


Once you have found a reputable Florida foundation repair
company, it is time to book an appointment.
Although you can ask for a quote over the phone, most experts will
want to take a look at the foundation themselves before committing
to a price.
The cost of your Florida foundation
repair will depend on a number of
factors such as the extent of the
damage and what must be done to fix
it.

It is important to make sure that your repairs are tailored to the
cause of your foundation problems, otherwise they will recur years
or even months down the road.
There are a number of things that a Florida foundation repair
company may do to fix your foundation.
First, they will determine the cause.
If the problem originated because of
a plumbing leak, they may refer you
to a landscape plumber before going
any further with their repairs.

Most problems, however, must be repaired using a system called
underpinning.
This means that technicians will extend your existing foundation into
a more stable part of the ground in order to stabilize the entire
structure.
A good repair technician will
evaluate your whole building,
not only the parts that are visibly
damaged.


Depending on the company that you hire, they may only underpin
the foundation and stabilize the structure or they may also repair
any existing damage by patching cracks and filling holes.
If you are trying to keep down the cost, however, the most
important thing you can do is act fast.
The longer a house is allowed to settle
improperly, the more damage there will be to
your foundation. The quicker you call for Florida
foundation repair, the easier it will be to return
your house to it normal, stabilized condition.

Thank You

Foundation Damage:
Knowing When It Is Time To
Hire A Florida Foundation
Repair Company

For more information please visit
FoundationRepair-fl.com

Foundation Damage: Knowing When It Is Time To Hire A Florida Foundation Repair Company

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Foundation Damage: Knowing When It Is Time To Hire A Florida Foundation Repair Company