A guide to basement and foundation repair

You’ve noticed cracks in your basement walls, your floors seem more uneven than normal, it’s difficult to get doors and windows to close properly. All of these are common signs that the foundations of your house might be in need of repair. So what should you do? Should you be worried? What’s gone wrong and can it be fixed?

Hold it, there’s no need to panic. Many foundation issues are actually quite common and can be fixed relatively quickly and economically. Here’s some of the things that go wrong and the solutions that are available to deal with them.

Foundation settlement is a natural occurrence that happens as a building sinks and moves. Often, it’s caused by soil eroding or giving way beneath the house and can cause cracks to appear in walls, masonry and concrete floors.

The common solution is to install foundation piers. These are steel pillars that are screwed into the soil and attached to the foundations of the house, helping to stabilise the structure and prevent further deterioration. They can also help to lift the structure back to its original position, though this isn’t always possible.

One other major problem with basements is flooding. Because they are the lowest part of the house, they are a ready casualty when a flood happens, and often it can be one of the more difficult areas to fix.

One way that water can enter your basement is through cracks that appear in the walls or floor, so the first task is to pinpoint exactly where the water is coming from. If your basement is damp or has an unpleasant mouldy/musty smell to it, then it could be a sign you’ve got a leak.

If you have a flood in other parts of your home, the damage can sometimes be bigger in your basement. Flood water will collect there, proving difficult to get rid of. The best solution to this is to take preventative measures and install a complete drainage system in your basement so that if a flood does happen the worst of the damage can be averted; it will protect your home from natural flooding and floods caused by plumbing problems such as broken pipes and leaking taps.

Whatever problem you’re experiencing with water in your basement, it’s always best to get in a professional to assess what work is needed as flood water can cause severe damage to a building’s foundations and also pose an electrical hazard if any water has got to the basement’s electrics.

Complete Basement Systems are experienced in all areas of Coloradobasement and foundation repair, offering a complete, professional, and expert service in the Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, and Colorado area.