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BAD DRAINAGE
NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF FOUNDATION FAILURE IN NORTH TEXAS!
In areas like North Texas, where expansive soils are common, understanding how bad drainage leads to foundation damage is critical. Expansive soils, such as clay, undergo significant changes in volume depending on moisture levels—swelling when wet and shrinking during dry conditions. These dramatic shifts create pressure on foundations, causing cracks, settling, and other structural issues over time. Effective drainage management is crucial to control moisture levels around the foundation, helping to minimize the damaging effects of soil movement.
Unfortunately, bad drainage often exacerbates foundation problems. When water accumulates around the foundation due to poor drainage, it saturates the soil, causing expansive soil to swell. This swelling pushes against the foundation, leading to upward pressure that can crack or shift the structure. On the other hand, improper drainage during dry periods causes the soil to shrink unevenly, which can result in foundation settling. This constant fluctuation in soil moisture, caused by inadequate drainage, creates an unstable environment that increases the risk of foundation damage.
What many homeowners don't realize is that general landscapers and drainage companies may not fully understand how foundations react to expansive soils. While they are skilled in landscaping and basic drainage solutions, they often lack the specialized knowledge necessary to address the unique challenges posed by expansive soils. The risks of improper drainage management are especially high in regions like North Texas, where soil movement can be dramatic. For this reason, it is highly recommended that homeowners and property managers consider consulting with an independent foundation specialist who has expertise in foundations constructed on expansive soils. A foundation consultant can assess the specific needs of the property, recommend effective drainage strategies, and help prevent costly foundation damage down the road.
As a foundation repair consultant, I offer specialized services to help homeowners and property managers navigate the complexities of foundation care in expansive soil areas. With over forty years of experience working with the unique challenges of these soils, I can provide valuable guidance on proper drainage, and other foundation protection, and repair solutions tailored to your needs. If you would like more information or to schedule a consultation, feel free to contact me: call/text 817-308-8186, email: thefoundationman@gmail.com or visit repairfoundations.com.
I am not a contractor, but rather a foundation repair consultant with over forty years of experience helping homeowners and property managers find the right repairs at the right price. My fee is fair, and if I don’t provide you with helpful information, I don’t expect to be paid.
How I Work:
For a preset fee I will inspect your foundation and drainage. I will explain your foundation problems. I will draw pictures and show you why your foundation has moved, or might move in the future , as well as your options to stop the movement. I'll show you how to prevent more movement and show you how to reverse existing movement.
Because of my preset fee I have no financial incentive to guide you to anything but what is best for your home. Read about how bad drainage can cause extensive foundation damage and is the is the major cause of foundation damage. Also how proper drainage can prevent, stop and reverse foundation damage.
Proper foundation drainage can stop and reverse most foundation issues.
Due to the design of residential foundations in areas of expansive soils, such as North Texas, foundations seldom settle to the point of needing piers..
Modern foundations, Slab or pier and beam, consist of concrete poured into dry ground.
Concrete should not be poured in wet soil as it increases the time it takes to harden. The key here is dry ground, not wet. Our soil decreases in volume as it dries. As moisture is added the volume increases.
Depending on the time of year the house is constructed the soil may be contracted due to long dry periods or even droughts.
If the soil is dry and contracted when concrete is poured, the soil will swell when it is exposed to moisture. Not all soils are contracted or shrunk when concrete is poured so not all foundations fail.
There does however seem to be a connection between foundations poured in/on dry shrunken soil and foundation movement caused by upheaval.
The terrain in our area is also hilly, causing home site pads to often be cut down on the high side and raised on the low side to achieve a somewhat level field on which to build the house.
While the lot becomes somewhat level, the hill still exists, often allowing water to stand on the high side of the house and run off on the low side.
Modern foundations built in North Texas are generally monolithic as shown here.
This would be a good time to mention that moisture travels by capillary or wicking action in our clay soil. Water standing next to a home may be pulled down, up, and under our residential foundations. The moisture in the soil travels much as it would with a paper towel. The dry soil takes moisture from the wet soil and in the case of the soil it expands as it receives the moisture. When this happens unevenly around a structure the foundation twist causing the building materials of the house to react much the way a jigsaw puzzle would react to its support flexing... It starts to come apart.
As the moisture is drawn into the clay soils. The soils will expand in volume, much like a wet sponge, and will often cause areas of the exterior footing/foundation and/or slab itself to be lifted above original grade, while the remainder of the foundation stays at or near original grade.
This can and does also happen with incoming or outgoing plumbing leaks. When water, drainage, plumbing, or other moisture causes soils to swell around or under a foundation, something is going to twist. When ridged objects such as Sheetrock, hard floor covering, bricks or concrete floors twist something has to give. Some of the causes and effects are shown below.
Above are just a few of the very obvious ways for water to enter the soil under and around your home. The moisture is pulled or wicked the same way that liquid is pulled by a paper towel. The difference is the soil swells, moving anything setting in or on it.
Richard Rash, Foundation and Drainage Consultant can help! Call/text 817-308-8186
Above are a few signs of damage that is the results of upheaval. All can be stopped and reversed with proper foundation drainage and no piers.
I can show you how.
Most foundation repair companies, their commissioned salespeople and many of their so called "independent" engineers depend on the sale of piers to exist. There is much money to be made in piering homes and other buildings and structures. It is to their benefit to sell as many piers as possible at the highest price possible.
In my nearly forty years in the foundation business I have seen the the warranties go from three years to lifetime without seeing any appreciable improvement in the piers or the percentage of successful repairs. What I have seen is a very obvious increase in unhappy customers because the piers don't stop the problems and because the warranties are written to protect the contractors from lawsuits and even BBB complaints. The facts are: proper foundation drainage can stop and reverse many foundation issues!
If you need piers:
I will explain why you need them, where you need them, how many you need and explain the different type of piers. Read on to find out who I am and why I can help.
Many of you may still think you can successfully travel these murky waters alone and maybe you can, but I have had thousands of customers who have chosen to invest a few dollars for my knowledge and assistance and who understand that, with my help, the worst thing that can happen is, that they re-enforce their existing beliefs on what has happened and what needs to be done.
The best thing that can happen, and what most often happens, is they save thousands of dollars and prevent their home from losing value.
The last thing I ask my customers is “does it all make sense?” I don’t leave until it does, and even then I impress upon my customers to call me with any questions at any time. And they do, sometimes years later.
I hope you understand by now that I provide a unique experience and cover things that they don't teach in engineering school and the pier salesmen don't want you to know. Things that will put your mind at ease and provide you with a road map to a successful conclusion to the unpleasant task of dealing with a moving foundation. Please call me at 817-308-8186 or email me at richardrashinc@tx.rr.com
Remember, if you don't use me and if you get it wrong, 1.)it is not likely that the state will help you (no state licensing or oversight), 2.)the cities won’t help you, 3.) the courts likely won’t help you because of arbitration you agreed to, and 4.)the warranty usually won't help you because it was written for the contractor.
At this point, it is never easy but, there may be things you can do, and not do, to keep from throwing good money after bad, and I can probably help you with guidance over the phone on the best steps to take.
What have you got to lose?
Contact Richard Rash, Foundation Repair Consultant. Call or text
817-308-8186
email: richardrashinc@tx.rr.com
Ceiling damage from upheaval