Foundation Doctor

Has the cure for your home’s ailing foundation.

At foundationdoctor.info our mission is to provide you the home owner, with usefull information about common foundation ailments.

Soil Types

		Tips for a healty foundation. Don't plant trees or shrubs to close to your home's foundation. Trees and shrubs tend to require lots of water if they are not getting enough of it the roots begin to extend under your home.Tree roots can actually grow under the foundation, causing uneven foundation settlements, resulting in cracks in the structure, and doors and windows to stick. Roots from trees also can disturb underground piping and sewer lines, growing into the piping and blocking the line. This can result in substantial plumbing bills. Pay close attention to where you plant trees in your yard. Most medium - or large-sized trees should be planted at least 30 to 50 feet from the house Small flowering trees and fruit trees are ideal for small lots. Plant them at least 8 feet from your home. They are also ideal beneath electric lines, as they won't interfere with the wires.

We will start with soils the recognition that the soil a foundation rests on is part of the foundation system; it should be looked at as a building material, just like the 2x4 studs that frame your house. The fact that you can't go to a lumberyard and select this building material and in most cases you're simply going to use whatever you happen to have, this makes it especially important that you recognize the differences among soil types, know something of the way soils respond to building loads and be able to identify potential problems. Shifting or expansive soils, or soils rich in clay, can lead to structural compromises and can even cause severe damage within the home. Landscaping and the home's grading can also suffer, resulting in pooling of irrigation waters and poor storm run-off. Before construction begins, the best practice is to research and assess the soil quality for its ability to bear the weight of the building.

Throughout the United States, and particularly found in states such as; Texas, California, Virginia and Colorado expansive or reactive clay soils are known to have adverse effects on residential structures. Expansive soil expands and contracts due to changes in the moisture content of the soil, causing structural problems through differential movement of the structure. If the moisture content and or soil type is different in various locations under the foundation, localized or non-uniform movement can occur to the structure. Isolated movement in sections of the structure can cause damage to the foundation as well as the framing, visual evidenced in cludes cracking of the slab or foundation, cracking in the exterior or interior walls uneven floors, misaligned doors and windows. This type of movement is usually associated with slab on grade construction which is common found in the above mentioned regions of the country. However, this type of movement can be found in structures with basements and crawlspaces as well.

Additional expansive soils cause horizontal pressure is applied to foundations that make up basements and crawlspaces. Increased moisture in the soils near the foundation wall will cause the soils to expand and increase the lateral pressure applied on the foundation walls. If the foundation wall does not have enough strength, cracking, bowing and movement of the wall can occur. The increased moister in some cases can cause serious structural damage and even failure of the wall can occur.

Another effect associated with claystone soil (expansive soil found California) is the movement of soils on unstable slopes. Expansive claystone soil, found as a layer under a more rigid top layer of soils, become unstable as the moisture content increases, allowing the claystone and the top layers of soils to move. If the soil is located on a slope, the top layer of soil can creep (slow movement) down hill or even cause a landslide (sudden and dramatic movement). Consequently, a house with an inadequate foundation built on unstable slopes can be subject to creeping of the structure down slope, or to failure of the structure in a landslide.