San Diego’s hot summers and rainier winters may cause home foundation repair issues for those in Southern California. When you think about San Diego, you might picture perfect beach conditions, but the area’s climate conditions can lead to settlement and sinking, meaning that the ground underneath your home is no longer supportive. If your house is showing signs such as uneven floors, cracked walls, or doors that just won’t stay shut, you may have foundation issues. But now that you’ve identified the problem, what can you do to solve it? Read on for what to do if your home needs foundation repair – and remember that you will likely have to bring in a professional to assess the situation with you!
If your home has foundation problems, you’ll need to remember to waterproof to the best of your ability to protect again the rainy season in San Diego, in addition to repairing the current issues. You can do this by installing a sump pump (and maybe even a backup sump pump) so that water doesn’t build up in your basement or cellar, thus causing your foundation to continue to crack.
It isn’t very difficult to seal up current foundation cracks. You’ll have to ensure you pick the right material and also that you fix the larger problem. You don’t want to seal up current cracks without addressing the total foundation demise. If you’re filling in cracks, you’ll sometimes have the choice between using an epoxy or a polyurethane. Epoxies are good for both filling an area and then making the area around the original crack stronger. Epoxies are incredibly strong and are often the choice for structural repair. However, polyurethanes should be used to prevent water from leaking or if this crack is already leaking. Polyurethanes also harden very quickly, so they’re less likely to leak.
Believe it or not, you can actually lift and support a sinking foundation with a helical pier. These devices are installed deep under your home’s foundation to then lift back up the home. Helical piers are great for extra support, and they are very easy to install. They work well in all types of climates and don’t require you to hack up your lawn. Most importantly, even if the layers of soil start to shift, they will still hold the your home in place.
If the foundation of your home needs lots of reinforcement, you have the option to install wood and steel braces down your walls and secure them with joists (braces in the ceilings and the floor). This will help limit further movement. With this fix, one gradually tightens the joists to help strengthen and stabilize the wall.
Unfortunately, the final step for some is not repair work – it is excavating the foundation, but this is a last resort because it is expensive! If cracks are too deep or the floors are too uneven, you may need to unearth and rebuild. For this reason, it is important to be vigilant and not to ignore the small signs of a fading foundation.
If these repairs seem overwhelming, we can help. We buy houses with all level of repairs needed. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 619-900-7677 or fill out this quick form and we will call you!