Have you noticed that your foundation is suddenly sporting cracks after the winter snow and ice? You haven’t noticed them before, but now that the snow has melted away a little bit you’re noticing a definite shift. These cracks could be due to what is known as frost heave. Find out a little bit more about the phenomena, how it’s caused, and how it can be resolved. Protect your foundation this winter by reading on.
What is Frost Heave?
Frost heave happens when water saturates the soil (or snow) and then freezes during winter weather. As we know, water expands as it transforms into ice, and in turn the shift after the snow and ice thaws causes damages to your home’s foundation. You may notice this damage immediately in the form of cracks and uneven floors, and it can ultimately turn into bowing walls and unsafe conditions for your home. One place you may especially notice frost heave is under your deck. The deck may “raise and lower” a few inches each winter. This is probably due to the effects of frost heave.
Common Signs of Frost Heave
Find out if your home is experiencing the effects of frost heave by looking for these common signs:
Uneven or sloping floors – these are caused by the foundation being pushed up in one area and staying put in the other.
Sticking doors and windows – when the foundation is pushed upwards, it pushes against the door and window frames and causes fit problems.
Cracks in the walls and foundation – your foundation and walls can’t handle the stress of such big movement and end up cracking.
Frost Heave Solutions
While we can’t change how the soil moves, we can change how your home is affected by it. How is this possible? At KC Waterproofing, we use underpinning driven deep into the ground to assure that your home is stable and not affected by changes in the top levels of loosely compacted soil. Without support in these areas, or if your home’s footer is not deep enough, you will continue to experience problems with settlement, frost heave, or worse. Stabilizing your foundation will save you thousands in the long run. Some examples of underpinning may include push piers or helical piers.
Do You See Frost Heave? Call Us!
If you think that you are seeing the effects of frost heave in your home, call KC Waterproofing! We will perform a free estimate for the homeowner, and get your home back on the road to stability. Give us a call today for more information and to get scheduled.
Don Derry, Jr. is the president and owner of KC Waterproofing. Don began the company Thirty-Three years ago under the original name, Perma-Dry®. His vision for the company has always been to help property owners protect their investment and valuables from foundation, structural and water control problems.
About KC Waterproofing
Today, KC Waterproofing is one of the region’s leading providers of cutting edge technology for wall anchoring, foundation underpinning, interior, and exterior drainage control and new construction waterproofing. KC Waterproofing has a staff of experts highly experienced in foundation repair, structural solutions, and environmental remediation. The entire team is dedicated to delivering on-time service with a focus on integrity and value. This unwavering dedication to customers is the cornerstone of the company’s growth. Customers appreciate that all work is backed by the best warranty in town. Best of all, they have peace of mind that their problems were fixed by a fully licensed, bonded, insured and locally owned company.
