Hazards Posed When You Postpone Underpinning Your Cracked Foundation

Concrete slabs remain a top choice for foundation construction since they are invariably durable when compared to materials such as treated wood or clay and sand. Nevertheless, this durability does not translate into an immunity against structural damages. And one of the typical ways that concrete slabs will succumb to disrepair is via the development of cracks. Cracks are caused by a myriad of external changes such as erratic temperatures, fluctuating moisture, the house settling over time and more. Since the damage gets worse progressively, you must keep an eye out for signs of the need for underpinning, which usually manifests as sticking windows, inclining floors and so on. If you believe that this renovation project can be put off, here are three hazards posed when you postpone underpinning your cracked foundation.

Exacerbated damage

Once foundation damage occurs, it will only get progressively worse. As long as the foundation is still being exposed to the same external stressors, the damage will not abate. As a result, you notice that the signs of decline manifesting in your home are also getting worse. Hence, not only will you be paying for foundation repair in the form of underpinning but you will also have to spend money on structural repairs too to correct the damage caused to your walls, flooring and so on.

Moisture damage

While you could be thinking that the cracks in your foundation will exclusively have a negative influence on the concrete slabs, you are mistaken. Once cracks have formed on the slabs, they present an opportunity for water ingress to occur. The wider the cracks become, the more moisture is seeping into your home. After a while, you will have additional damages to contend with. Firstly, if the water ingress has gone unchecked for a long period, it has likely caused structural damage to any timber elements used for the construction of your home. Thus, you would have to pay for the replacement of all decayed wood. Secondly, when your house is exposed to undetected water ingress, it increases the chances of a mould infestation to occur. Thus, you have to pay for mould remediation in addition to underpinning services.

Plumbing hardware damage

If settlement is causing the cracks in your concrete slab foundation, it means that the slabs are shifting due to the pressure exerted on the structure. As the shifting causes cracks, it also means the concrete is applying pressure onto plumbing hardware installed under the foundation and this will lead to burst pipes. Damaged hardware can be challenging to identify until substantial harm has been caused. Therefore, it is best to seek underpinning services before the concrete damages the plumbing pipes.

Consider finding underpinning services near you to learn more. 

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