Preventing Foundation Problems in Iowa

The foundation of your home is the most important part of the home. The entire structure sits on the foundation. When your foundation has settlement, the entire structure of the home will have structural damage.

Some of the steps to help prevent foundation problems are:

• Proper grading – Make sure your yard is graded at least 6 inches in 10 feet so soil slopes away from your home. Poor soil excavation can direct water toward the foundation and through foundation walls.
• Proper downspouts – Downspouts should direct rain and roof runoff away from your home. Make sure the downspouts extend 5 to 10 feet away from the home.
• Proper water management – Avoid letting the soil around your home completely dry out and shrink during dry spells. In a drought, run a soaker hose around your home at least 6 inches from the foundation and 3 inches under the soil.
• Avoid letting the soil around your house completely dry out and shrink during a long dry spell – The next big rain could soak the soil, making it expand dramatically putting stress on your foundation walls. In a drought, run a soaker hose around your house at least 6 inches from the foundation and 3 inches under the soil. That should help quiet soil contraction and expansion.
• Avoid planting trees and shrubs close to the foundation – Tree and shrub roots can drain the moisture out of the soil. This will cause the foundation to settle and sink. Plant deep rooted trees and shrubs away from the foundation.

All of these steps may prevent foundation problems. But, if you have a home that you may have purchased that did not have proper care for the foundation, it is important to know what some of the signs are that may indicate a foundation problem.

When to Call WCI Basement Repair

Some of the signs in and around your home to look for that indicates foundation settlement are:

• Sticking doors and windows
• Sloping floors
• Wall cracks
• Ceiling cracks
• Floor cracks
• Leaning chimney
• Porch and stoop problems
• Garage column cracks
• Bowing or leaning walls
• Slab cracks

If you see any of these signs, it is important to contact the professionals at WCI Basement Repair for a free inspection of your foundation.

If we find that you are in need of foundation repair, we use underpinning products such as steel push piers and helical piers to get your foundation back to its original level and structurally sound again. These piers are driven deep into the ground through the unstable soil layers until they reach a solid soil layer. Then each pier is individually load tested. After testing, the entire weight of the structure is lifted onto the piers using hydraulic jacks to stabilize the foundation for many years to come.

All of the products we use for foundation repair are the best in the industry. They are manufactured by Earth Contact Products (ECP), the leader in foundation repair products in the industry today.

WCI Basement Repair is a locally owned and operated business that takes pride in the outstanding reputation we have established. We stand behind our work with a 25 year transferable warranty. At the first sign of foundation problems, contact the experts at WCI Basement Repair. The sooner you get the foundation repaired, the least amount of damage that will occur throughout your home. Contact WCI today for a free inspection!