Sunday, February 23, 2014

Safety Procedures Of Home Foundations

By Reed Matthews


If they found an area of the house that was clearly unsafe, such as a hole in the floor or loose ceiling fan, any sane homeowner would waste no time getting it repaired. But what about areas of the home that aren't as readily visible, but could still pose a large safety hazard to your family? Likely the most common issue of that category would be problems with the home's foundation. It's best to have the foundation examined by a professional at least twice a year.

According to experts in Geotechnical Engineering, a home should not drop more than 12 inches for the first three meters of ground. That is not always possible, and if so, then it should not drop more than 6 inches for the first meter and a half.

Homes tend to shift, especially those built on unstable soil. This can pose a great risk to the safety of the home and its owner. There are measures that can be taken to make sure that the foundation will be able to stand against the settling soil. If a house is unable to resist the terrain changes, large cracks could form in the foundation. Some homes may even sink noticeably into the ground. This is due to soil that shifts and creates gaps, an effect of it not being properly compacted during construction.

You might be surprised just how few homes actually meet these basic safety recommendations. Especially in areas that experience a wide range of weather patterns and altitudes, they can be fairly difficult to follow. Climate can be big factor in the state of a home's foundation. Rain and other types of moisture can slowly erode the foundation, and soil could get washed away or become saturated to the point of shifting. This just makes it all the more important to check the land for warning signs at least twice a year. Most often, the earlier a problem is found, the easier it is to deal with. Needed repairs and soil gaps should be dealt with as soon as they're detected.

Keeping the foundation in excellent condition is not just a good idea because it reduces safety hazards for you and your family, but also because it can be an invaluable selling point if you plan to move in the future. A structurally sound foundation can be a desirable and valuable part of a property, Even if the exterior of a home looks great, savvy potential buyers will want to know that the house is solid down to the core.

If you neglect maintaining the foundation, you may find your entire investment fall to pieces. That's not just a figure of speech. In some cases, that might literally happen. Hence, checking the foundation regularly and performing any necessary fixes on the structure itself and the soil around it will be protection for the home and everyone who lives in it.




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