Many home owners worry about foundation repair costs.
While foundation issues can be expensive and inconvenient, taking preventative steps to protect your foundation can help to avoid extensive structural problems.
Traditional Homes
House leveling is the process of restoring your home to its original foundation level as much as possible.
The good news is, many Texas homes have concrete piers under the ground which should last a lifetime.
Structural problems occur when the foundation begins to shift or sink.
This can be particularly troublesome in the winter months, when the ground hardens and contracts around underground pipes.
Here are a few ways to winterize your home to avoid leveling your home:
1. Turn Off Exterior Water Source
Turning off your outside water spigot and sprinklers when the weather begins to cool down will prevent pipe bursts.
2. Keep Your Home Warm & Dry
Don’t turn off the heat when you leave for the weekend or you could come home to frozen pipes. You can even leave a sink or tub dripping so that water will continue to flow while you’re away.
3. Seal Cracks & Crevices
Inspect your basement if you have one and seal up any cracks. This will keep heat in, while barring animals and water from coming in.
4. DIY Inspection
Look over the interior and exterior walls for any cracks. Repair any fracturing you see so rain, snow, and groundwater can’t compromise your drywall or insulation.
Mobile Homes
Most people don’t think about releveling a mobile home, but they are also subject to sinking from excess water in the surrounding soil.
Mobile homes or double wide manufactured homes also have to be winterized as their foundations freeze. Here are a few tips to delay mobile home leveling:
1. Caulk Cracks & Openings
Any potential opening that could allow water into your home should be sealed. This includes around the gutters, pipes, the seam of the roof and siding, doors and windows, around the dryer vent, and more.
2. Weather Strip Doors & Windows
If you’re standing next to a window and feel a draft, it may be smart to weather strip your doors and windows. This will keep the heat inside and utility costs down.
3. Loosen Tie Downs
If the ground freezes solid and your mobile home is tied to the ground as it contracts without moisture, your home will have no choice but to bend under the strain of those ties. This could lead to structural damage, and warping of the skirting and siding of your home.
4. Heat Tape Your Pipes
To keep pipes from freezing, invest in heat tape. Wrap your pipes in this tape to keep water flowing in the winter months. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid overheating.
Schedule Foundation Repair
Minor cracks can be one of the first signs of foundation problems.
Whether you’re looking to level a mobile home, repair a sinking foundation, or looking into pier and beam foundation repair, we can do it all.
Foundation problems get more troublesome and expensive with time, so don’t hesitate. Call an expert at Lonestar Foundation today for your free estimate.
