Winter is on its way in East Texas – that means lots of rain, sleet, and maybe even heavy snowfall. Such a constant downpour coupled with the constant cold can seriously wreak havoc on the structure of homes and businesses alike.
Whether you live in a brand new home or an old fixer-upper, it’s wise to keep a vigilant eye on the ever-changing conditions on the foundation beneath your residential or commercial property. Here are some general guidelines on what to look out for on your East Texas foundation!
Cold Winter Weather and Your East Texas Foundation
Like the old saying goes, if you don’t like the weather in East Texas… wait five minutes. The colder it gets, the more extreme those shifts in temperature become. As temperatures dip ever closer to freezing levels, your structure’s foundation can experience a wide range of severe stresses, including:
Soil Expansion
As the remaining moisture in the soil beneath your concrete foundation freezes, the soil will expand and heave upward. This dramatically increases the chances of foundation damage, especially after several consecutive days of freezing temperatures.
Foundation Cracks
As the soil beneath your home or business expands and contracts with the changes in temperature from warmer weather to below freezing conditions, cracks may form in the foundation of your home. These cracks lead to shifts in the overall structure and can present themselves as further cracks in your walls, ceilings, floors, and more.
Leaks and Erosion
Cracks in your East Texas foundation become the ideal entry point for water. As those cracks widen, more water enters, and the cycle of freezing and thawing continues. This can increase the hydrostatic pressure building up underneath and within the concrete foundation of your home or business and create even more damage.
East Texas Foundation Repair Professionals
Even if you haven’t yet noticed any signs yet of winter weather damage to your foundation in East Texas, you should still contact the foundation experts at Lone Star Foundation Repair. As expert technicians in identifying and correcting issues before they ever arise, we can ensure your home or business stands the test of even the harshest winters East Texas throws your way.
Through the use of high-quality steel piers, we can help alleviate the pressures of sinking and settling foundations on homes and businesses in East Texas. If we discover a sinkhole beneath your structure due to soil settling and shrinkage, we provide remediation services to strengthen your foundation, fill the sinkhole, and protect your property in the future.
True winter conditions tend to stretch between the months of December and into March. During these times, the ground is colder overall and therefore becomes a better time for you to correct any existing foundation repair issues that may have arisen over the course of the year. Many experts feel that these months are the best time to perform repairs to your foundation – so take advantage of this window! For more information on how you can protect your structure’s foundation this winter, contact the experts at Lone Star Foundation Repair today.
