Consider this, your foundation is most probably on poured concrete footers formed directly into an excavated trench in the soil. Our area around the Charlotte area and the Piedmont area in general is a heavy clay based soil. Clay is classified as an “expansive soil” meaning that when it is dry, it contracts and is resistant to penetration by water, a soil condition known as “hydrophobic” or resisting water. This is what happens when we experience drought conditions and it can remove support from under your homes footers. When clay does absorb water it expands and exerts tremendous pressure in all directions (volume expansion up to 10%)… if your footers have a clay base under them, they’ll move along with whatever is built on top of them. The result, foundation problems.
Bottom line … soil will shrink and expand.
That is one reason why water drainage around your home is ever so important – more about that later. Of course, that is only one of many causes of foundation problems that I can help you with.
If you see foundation cracks, don’t wait – call me, Michael, at (704) 787-6972
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