Whether you are the unfortunate victim of a hurricane or a pipe burst in your basement, flooding is a serious problem that not only damages your valuables, floors and walls but can even cause your home to become structurally unsafe. Read on to learn how flooding can damage a foundation and why water damage restoration and flood cleanup is important.
How Flooding Damages a Foundation
The speed of a flood is usually what damages your home’s foundation. As the pressure of the water pushes onto the sides of your home, it weakens the base structure. With enough pressure, the structure can separate from the foundation entirely, which is why you sometimes see floating homes in photographs after a large flood. Flood water also seeps into the earth and softens it, which causes some foundation pilings to break and shift. If the water is carrying toxic chemicals or pieces of debris, it can further damage your home.
Signs You Have Foundation Damage
Of course, not all water damage to your foundation will be as obvious as a floating house. Even if your home still seems structurally sound, you should check for some telltale signs of foundation problems. This may include doors and windows that no longer open or shut properly, cracks in the ceiling, floor or walls where there weren’t any before, cracked bricks on the outside, sloped floors and gaps or cracks at the seams. You may also notice that your foundation is not on a level with the lawn or that your garage door no longer touches the pavement when you close it. Any of these signs may mean that your home needs water damage restoration.
Preventing Damage in the Future
Perhaps you got lucky and don’t need flood cleanup this time, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be as fortunate next time. To help prevent foundation damage in the future, routinely check your pipes for leaks and ensure any gutters empty at least five feet away from your home’s foundation and not sloping back to the house. Waterproofing your garage and basement walls may also help.
If your home needs water damage restoration, it is important to call a professional. Contact Mold Masters Inc. to learn more.