Major Causes of Subsidence
Subsidence is most evident after the winter rains when the land adjacent to the property moves due to poor land management and insufficient drainage.
Minor Subsidence Issues
Minor cracks which don't affect the structural integrity of your home can often just be filled in and painted over and the evidence removed. More serious cracks which would have an impact on the structure may result in walls needing to be re-pointed and repaired with metal fixings.
Some of the effects of subsidence is just a case of the property settling over a number of years into the land and the issues do not deteriorate further. These minor defects can be addressed and rectified without further issues appearing.
A leaky drain can wash away the soil under your home or make the ground so saturated that the foundations give way causing it to subside. It's important to keep your drains clear of debris and in good working order.
And although your lush, green garden may be the talk of the area, the roots from those beautiful trees and large shrubs have to go somewhere. If that 'somewhere' happens to be under your home, you may have a problem.
Roots grow longer as they search for moisture, and bigger trees like willows and elms are noted as being among those most likely to cause subsidence if planted too close to your home.
The soil type your property has been built on will be a major factor in contributing to subsidence, with clay based soils being the most problematic.
In some cases, where your home is built can cause a problem too. Areas that have been mined in the past can result in unstable foundations or, even worse, structural damage to your home.
Major Subsidence Issues
In the worst case scenarios this can result in many meters of land sliding away leaving the foundations of the property exposed. In less dramatic instances there will be a gradual sinking of a side of the property, with stress cracks appearing around windows and doors as the property’s structure becomes compromised due to the enormous pressures exerted upon it.
In some rare cases where the cracks are deemed to be extremely severe, major reconstruction and some rebuild may need to take place.
Your home may need to be underpinned - underpinning is the process of laying an additional solid foundation below ground level to add strength.
Where there are are large structural cracks appears in a short period of time, the first call should be to your insurance company to assess the damage and then instruct a builder with extensive knowledge of the best ways to rectify the problem.
If you are experiencing any of the above subsidence issues with your home, call us at LT Construction in the knowledge that we have dealt with these problems and brought solutions and relief to many people in your predicament.