How Cold Weather Can Affect Your Foundation
As we settle into a new season here in New England, it's good to keep in mind there are new weather patterns that can impact the soil – and subsequently our home’s foundation!
The winter months can bring bouts of heavy moisture with rain, sleet or snow. This moisture can cause pressure on your foundation and lead to serious symptoms of problems. As a homeowner, it's important to get a better understanding of these symptoms, and know when to take action and seek out a professional to make repairs.
Cracked, leaning or bowing basement walls can develop in homes of any age, as changes occur within the soils that surround them.
Foundation walls can be damaged by soil pressure. In some cases, the soil's weight is simply too great to be held back by the foundation wall. In other cases, soil with high clay content expands during wet weather, exerting additional pressure against foundation walls. Whatever the cause, there are several telltale signs of foundation wall damage.
Additionally, in areas with cold winter climates, frost can put pressure on a wall and cause it to fail, especially if the basement is unheated. Frost forces can be extremely powerful and can even lift shallow foundations up out of the ground, causing significant damage to the home.
The foundation problems caused by the time of year aren't just annoying - they become even bigger over time. Finding and fixing the root cause of the problem will restore your peace of mind.
