Flash Flooding Disasters Can Ruin a Home Foundation If Not Properly Mitigated
Did you know that the most common natural disaster in the US is flooding? That’s right, flash floods can occur in any of the 50 states. Additionally, the most expensive household water damage is caused by floods. When flooding occurs, it may cause excessive amounts of property damage to homeowners.
The next obvious step to putting things back on track if flood damage ever occurs is assessing the extent of damage to your home and its foundation after the water has subsided. Homeowners of homes with pier foundations, concrete slab foundations, or beam foundations may find themselves with a mountain of work to do if a flood damages their property.
How Flooding Causes Foundation Damage
Depending on how severe a flood is, it can result in an event with standing water for a long time, or it might be fast, powerful water moving rapidly. Any kind of flooding, no matter how severe, can result in water damage to a building’s foundation.
A foundation may shift and upheave due to flood water, which could weaken its structural integrity. Your home’s foundation may move if there is constant water present or a steady high-pressure blast of water is being forced up against or underneath it.
Essentially, the kind of soil that the property sits on is another aspect that may result in damage to a foundation during flooding. When some soil types, like clay, come into contact with water, they expand. The soil beneath a foundation may shift as a result, possibly resulting in thousands of dollars worth of damage and repairs. Heavy rain, let alone a flood, can cause damage to homeowners whose property is on expansive soil types.
What to Do When Flooding Causes Foundation Damage
When water and foundation damage occur, it is crucial to determine if the structure is safe for residents to occupy. The environment needs to be quickly evacuated if there are visible indicators of structural damage because their stay compromises the environment’s safety. You must hire a foundation repair contractor to address the problems at hand if the foundation has been damaged.
Flooding can also result in a variety of other harms, such as electrical and gas concerns. Property owners should turn off their HVAC and electricity for added security. If flooding isn’t too bad, property owners can probably repair the damage themselves. Most importantly, it is crucial to address any foundation or water damage as soon as possible because prolonging the process might result in additional damage and destruction.
Conclusion
A flood’s aftereffects can be disastrous. Flood damage has the potential to seriously harm a property’s foundation in addition to destroying the building’s structure and contents. There are several ways that flood conditions can harm a foundation, from cracks and fractures to settling and sinking.
If the foundation of your home has been damaged in any way, there are foundation repair services available. However, the quality of a foundation build or repair depends entirely on the tools and supplies a foundation contractor uses. Building or restoring a strong foundation requires the use of high-quality materials, such as the steel piling products from Magnum Piering.
