The weather in Des Moines, Iowa can be very unpredictable. January can have freezing ice and snow, rain, or a warm spell can mean rain and a lot of water leaking into your basement. The freezing and then flooding can cause cracks in your home’s foundation to get much worse.
As a homeowner, the unpredictability of the weather can be enjoyable if your house is waterproofed and ready for the many changes. For the older homes, where the foundation sealant has all but disappeared, and the contraction and expansion of the soil have made crevices along the foundation, weather changes can cause stress and damage to your home.
However, have you ever stopped to think about what all the weather changes are doing to your home, and more specifically your home’s foundation? Any home can suffer foundation problems, whether old or new. Some of the main reasons for foundation settlement are:
· Expanding Soil
· Wet Weather
· Ice
· Dry Spells
Here are some examples of how these can be affecting your homes foundation:
Ice and Frost Heave
Ice can cause significant damage to your home’s foundation. When the ground freezes and ultimately melts, it causes the soil to contract which creates instability in the soil. This is referred to as the frost heave cycle. Ice can then freeze beneath the concrete foundation, moving the soil and damaging the foundation. The frost heave cycle can cause foundation cracks and cracks in walls. When the ice inevitably melts, the water then has access to seep inside of your house through these cracks. To protect your home from melting frost, consider waterproofing your basement. Basement waterproofing can stop water from entering your home by fixing foundation cracks, fixing poor yard drainage, and applying an exterior waterproof membrane to prevent water from entering your home.
Ice dams are another worry during colder weather. Ice accumulates on the roof, rising heat from inside your house can cause it to melt. The water runs down the roof until it reaches the eaves, which aren’t kept warm by the inside temperature. This causes the water to refreeze and eventually builds up into a dam of ice.
Ice dams block water from flowing off of the roof. The water, trying to find anywhere to go, will instead seep into your house, causing wall cracks and rotting walls.
Dry Weather Spells
During dry weather, moisture is removed and the soil contracts, pulling away from your foundation. This creates a void which allows for foundation settlement.
Catching foundation settlement early on is important because the damages can become more costly as it worsens.
Wet Weather
Heavy snow that accumulates next to your home’s foundation can cause flooding. It can also cause the soil to expand, filling the gaps where the soil was once compressed. Any melted snow will put pressure on your home’s basement walls, leading to cracked basement walls and water in the basement. To stay protected from a leaky or wet basement, make sure to have basement waterproofing and a sump pump in case of emergency. Sump pumps are used to send water away from the home. Consider also adding a sump pump battery back-up in case you lose power during a winter storm.
How to Tell If Your Home is Experiencing Foundation Settlement
Your Home is a very important investment. It is important to know the signs of foundation settlement and the signs.
Common Signs include:
· Floors start to settle and become uneven
· Bowed or leaning basement walls
· Cracks in foundation walls
· Interior plaster walls/drywall crack
· Chimney tilts or leans
· Foundation starts to sink
· Cracks appear in basement walls
Some damage is visible, but other times it can occur below the surface. Protecting your concrete is important at any time of the year, but it is especially vital during the winter months.
Can you fix foundation issues in the winter?
The winter may seem like an odd time to have foundation repair done as the ground is a lot colder than other parts of the year. However, the cold weather makes the foundation a little more stable, allowing one to monitor foundation damage a little easier.
At BAM Basements and Masons of Des Moines, we have experienced teams to waterproof the basement of your home. We can provide you with a free estimate. With an A+ accreditation at the BBB and a long history in the community, we are the team to call for all your basement waterproofing needs. We pride ourselves on delivering every consideration to total customer satisfaction with the highest quality workmanship, limited lifetime warranties, having over 100 years combined of expertise on waterproofing, we are locally founded, owned, and operated.
BAM Basements and Masons of Des Moines is your premier basement egress window company serving the Des Moines, Iowa area. If you’re located in Des Moines, Ankeny, Bondurant, Altoona, Pleasant hill, Ames, Adel, Waukee, Indianola, Grimes, Urbandale, Johnston, West Des Moines, or the surrounding areas, we’re the place to call.