How Foundations Can Be Damaged By Flooding

 

Did you know that flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States? That’s right, in fact, all 50 states are subject to flash floods. In addition, floods are responsible for the highest cost of residential water damage. This is How Foundations Can Be Damaged By Flooding

If flood damage ever occurs, once the water has receded, determining the amount of damage to your home as well as its foundation is the next logical step to getting things back on track. Home’s with concrete slab foundations, pier foundations, or beam foundations will leave certain homeowners with their hands full of work and repairs after a flood takes it toll. However, the foundation of the home should be addressed first, looking for any signs of foundation damage.

Signs of Flooding Foundation Damage

Flood damage can be a very serious, and costly issue. Once a flood has take place, it is important to inspect the foundation to ensure that it was not damaged or in need of urgent repairs. Here are a few signs of foundational damage due to flooding that homeowners should be on the lookout for:

• The exterior bricks or sheetrock have cracks or fractures.
• The windows no longer open or shut properly and/or have cracks in the frames.
• New cracks have developed in the wall, floors, or ceiling.
• There has been an upheaval in the foundation.
• The garage door no longer closes to the pavement.
• The floors inside are sloping.
• There are visible gaps or separation between walls, ceiling, and the floor.
• The crown molding has separated or cracked.
• Foundation outside has moved from the level of your lawn.
• There is condensation forming on ceilings/walls.
• Opening and closing doors is not as easy.

When looking for foundation damage after flooding, it  is important that homeowners check they different areas for damage to their home, including outside the main structure and crawl spaces.

How Flooding Causes Foundation Damage

Depending on the severity of a flood, it can either result in an event with standing water for a long period of time, or it could be rapid, strong, moving waters over a short period of time. Regardless of the severity, any type of flooding can cause water damage to a property’s foundation. Flood water can cause a foundation to shift and upheave, compromising its structural strength. The continual presence of water or constant high-pressure blast of water pushing against or underneath your house can cause the foundation to shift.

In addition, another factor that can cause damage to a foundation during flooding is the type of soil the property is on. Some soil types, like clay  for example, expands when it comes into contact with water. As a result, the soil a foundation is on can shift, potentially causing thousands of dollars in damages and repairs. Homeowners with property on certain expansive soil types can experience damage due to heavy rain, let alone a flood.

What To Do When Flooding Causes Foundation Damage

Whenever flooding and foundation damage occurs, it is first important to identify whether or not the building is safe to stay in. If there are existing signs of structural damage, the safety of the environment is comprised and it should be evacuated quickly. If there is damage done to the foundation, you will need to contact a foundation repair contractor to fix the issues at hand. Additionally, flooding can cause a host of other damages, including electrical and gas risks. For extra safety, property owners should turn off their electricity and HVAC systems. If there is minimal flooding, property owners can likely clean up the damages themselves. Most importantly, if there is any foundation or flood damage it is essential to take care of it as quick as possible as delaying the process can lead to further damage and destruction.

How To Prevent Foundation Flood Damage

While there is no way to prevent a flooding disaster from happening, there are certain precautions that property owners can take to secure their property and its foundation against flooding. In order to mitigate the property and foundation damage caused by flooding, the following measures can be taken.

• Waterproof all entrance ways to your home and garage to help limit the amount of water that can get in through the cracks and crevices.
• Place high-value items, including appliances and HVAC systems, off the ground.
• Ensure that the placement of downspouts and other piping to drive out water rather than directing it towards a home. If you don’t have downspouts for your property, consider investing in them to avoid future water damage.
• Store valuables away from your garage and transfer them to higher, safer conditions.
• Routinely check pipes and other plumbing structures for leaks.

 

The aftermath of a flood can be devastating. Flood damage can not only destroy the structure and the contents of a property, it can also have a significant, negative impact on it’s foundation. From cracks and fractures to settling and sinking, there are many ways that flood conditions can damage a foundation.

Luckily, there are foundation repair services available if your property has suffered any degree of foundation damage. However, a foundation build or repair is only as good as the products and materials used by a foundation contractor. Quality materials, like the steel piling products from Magnum Piering, are essential to building or repairing a durable foundation. As the industry leader in manufacturing high-quality steel piling products, MAGNUM® Piering has the products you need for property foundations. Our products are installed by hundreds of qualified foundation contractors. To learn more about foundation repairs and piers, contact the experts at MAGNUM® Piering today

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