Draining Issues
Corpus Christi Foundation Repair
One way or another drainage is usually the cause of most foundations problems encountered by our experts at Corpus Christi Foundation Repair. Water flowing through sub soil causes subsidence, and water pooling in the spaces and crawl ways of pier and beam foundations can lead to rotting of the piers and beams themselves which means they no longer support the weight of the structure adequately. Since we are surveyors as well as repair experts the start of every foundation rescue at Corpus Christi Foundation Repair is a full survey of the drainage around your building.
Gradients and Swales
Signs of damp aren’t usually hard to find. If there’s damp on your walls, mold in your basement, cracks or discoloration in your concrete, and smells coming from under the floor then you probably have water where you shouldn’t. That might be from plumbing leaks but it could just be that rainfall doesn’t drain away properly from the walls which means it is going to eventually seep down into the foundations. If there are puddles left near your walls when the rain has stopped then the first thing to look at is sloping the land immediately next to your home so that rainwater runs off better. Then you might benefit from swales – shallow ditches used to direct water away from your home and towards the drains. Corpus Christi Foundation Repair can help survey your property, identify drainage issues, and correct them.
French Drains
French drains are used as foundation specific drains and usually take the form of a perforated pipe that follows the lines of your walls. The piping helps collect water which is then channelled away to an existing drain or a soak pit or catch basin in the yard where it can disperse naturally. Since the 1950s most homes have had French drains installed but they may need maintenance as things like tree roots can easily disrupt them. If your home is from before the 1950s then have Corpus Christi Foundation Repair take a look at it since it may have been built without foundation drains in place at all.
Moisture Barriers
Sometimes the point is not to channel water away but simply to stop it and moisture barriers may help with this. Moisture barriers are typically plastic layers inserted vertically into the ground (around slabs for example) to stop water flowing underneath them. Placing moisture barriers isn’t in itself so difficult but will only work if the drainage issues have been correctly assessed by expert surveyors. Talk to Corpus Christi Foundation Repair about moisture barriers to protect your foundations.
Under Slab Drains
Under slab drainage can be a problem but there are solutions such as putting in moisture channels – French drains using gravel – that catch and re-direct water flow around and even under the slab foundation. In some cases that is not enough and it is necessary to tunnel under the foundation to insert drains. Since this involves literally undermining the foundations it is only a job to be attempted by the professionals at Corpus Christi Foundation Repair.
