The best way to prevent your house from sinking is to ensure the property has a solid foundation that uses the proper design and materials appropriate for your soil type. You also need to maintain effective drainage systems to avoid water accumulating in and around the foundation.
Regular inspection and repair are essential to detect any foundational issues early on and prevent house sinking. These measures will help safeguard your home’s structural integrity in the long run and prevent you requiring a foundation contractor in Bendigo.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the best ways to prevent your house from sinking.
How to Prevent Your House From Sinking
You can prevent your house from sinking by ensuring a solid foundation, performing regular inspections, maintaining effective drainage, and stabilising the soil.
Ensure a Solid Foundation
The foundation is the most critical component in preventing your house from sinking. A solid foundation distributes the weight of your house evenly, reducing the risk of sinking or settling. When building or buying a house, ensure the foundation is constructed on stable soil and deep enough to reach the hard subsoil.
Utilising proper materials and techniques, like reinforced concrete, can significantly enhance the foundation’s strength and durability.
Perform Regular Inspections
Regular inspections of your property are essential in preventing your house from sinking. These inspections should include checking for any signs of foundation problems, such as wall cracks, uneven floors, or doors that won’t close properly.
Early detection of these issues can prevent minor problems from escalating into more significant, costly repairs.
Maintain Effective Drainage
Effective drainage is crucial in preventing water accumulation around your foundation, which can lead to soil erosion or expansion, causing your house to sink. Ensure that your gutters and downspouts are clean and in good condition, directing water away from your foundation.
Additionally, the slope of your yard should be away from your house to facilitate proper drainage.
Stabilise the Soil
Soil stabilisation is key in preventing your house from sinking. This involves various techniques to ensure the soil beneath your foundation remains firm and capable of supporting the structure.
Methods include compacting the soil before construction, using soil stabilisers, and controlling the moisture level in the soil to prevent expansion and contraction, which can lead to instability.
Maintain and Repair Regularly
Regular maintenance and repair are crucial in preventing your house from sinking. This includes fixing any plumbing leaks promptly, as water leakage can weaken the soil under your foundation.
Also, repairing wall cracks and other structural damages as soon as they are noticed can prevent further deterioration.
How Can I Tell If My House Is Sinking?
You can tell if your house is sinking by observing visible signs of structural movement, such as cracks in walls, floors, or the foundation itself. These signs often indicate that the foundation is shifting, which is a common symptom of a sinking house.
One of the most apparent indicators of a sinking house is the development of cracks in the walls, especially around door and window frames. These cracks are typically wider at the top and can be either vertical or diagonal.
Besides cracks, doors and windows may begin to stick or fail to close properly, as their frames become skewed due to the shifting foundation.