Monday, January 29, 2018

Read About Us In "Life In Chenal"!


The beauty of mountain vistas, flowing creeks and springs in West Little Rock is what draws many to live in Chenal. In fact, it is one of the things that drew my family here. The abundance of water and ridges are everywhere. However, that same draw that brought people into our area, has caused problems in some of the homes that we live in.

Out of the multitude of repair items that come up in a Home Inspection and one of the most concerning of them for both Buyer and Seller, is a possible foundation issue. There are several factors that cause settlement issues, such as improper structural supports in the home or soil compaction underneath it. However, most of the issues derive from something else.

Brent Stroud of Foundation Pro of Arkansas says: “Too much water in the ground can cause problems with soil expansion while a drought can cause soils to shrink. Both of these conditions can lead to foundation settlement. It’s best to keep ground moisture levels as consistent as possible throughout the seasons to protect against foundation issues.”
The key is to divert water away from the home before you have a problem. There are several methods that can be done to keep water away from the home.
1. Install or repair guttering. Make sure downspouts are emptying away from the foundation. Honestly, I believe that guttering should be a code requirement for new homes. It is that important to have them.
2. Slope flower beds and your yard several feet away from the foundation, especially if you have a hillside where water flows towards your home.
3. Install French drains around any problem areas which will divert water around the home instead of soaking underneath it.
4. Check for signs of water in the crawl space. Is there standing water?
Are there any signs of past water flow? Is the ground mushy or wet? Are
there water marks on the foundation wall? You may need a sump pump.

So what are the telltale signs of settlement in your home? First, all homes
settle over time, and for the vast majority, there is not a problem. Look for
diagonal cracks at the corners of doors and windows; Doors and windows
that are no longer shutting properly, uneven floors that are sagging or seem
to have a hump in them, cracks in bricks and foundation walls (especially
those that have split through the brick and block itself; “Wrinkling” of the
sheetrock in corners of rooms; tilting or separations of foundation
supports.

If you believe you might have a foundation issue, you can call Foundation
Pro of Arkansas. They will do free consultations. I have found them to be
highly professional and honest and will tell you if you have a problem or if
you don’t.

Source: Life In Chenal, December 2017

No comments:

Post a Comment