Cracked Foundation
Keeping track of weather conditions is a good idea if you want to know what to wear for the day and whether or not you should have that long awaited picnic. It’s also important in order to protect the structure of your home especially when it comes to your foundation. Extreme changes in weather can result in serious damage to your foundation.
Frost heaving
Winter comes with snow and frozen soil. Many homeowners understand the effect that melting snow has on foundations. These homeowners have learnt to avoid piling snow near the foundation of their homes. However, few homeowners know the negative impact that frozen soil can have on a foundation.
When the soil around the foundation freezes, it becomes hard and rigid. This mass of frozen soil and water is particularly strong. As water in the soil continues to thaw and freeze with fluctuations in temperature, it expands with each freezing cycle. It therefore places a great deal of pressure on the foundation wall. The result is the heaving of the foundation. This in turn results in a cracked foundation.
The type of soil in your locality will have a major impact on the severity of frost heaving. Foundations in areas with clay soils are especially vulnerable to frost heaving. This is because this type of soil retains a lot of water. This water expands when exposed to freezing temperatures, resulting in frost heaving.
What you can do
If you have a cracked foundation caused by frost heaving, it is important to solve the underlying cause of the cracking before applying a crack repair solution. This would mean addressing the frost heaving.
Frost heaving can be prevented and resolved in various ways. One of the best ways to prevent the 
pressure from building up against your foundation walls is by installing an external drainage solution. This will help to guide water away from the foundation and ensure that the yard is well drained. This reduces the volume of water in the soil that will be available to expand during a freezing cycle. You can then engage in foundation repair to restore your foundation.
It is important to note that this type of repair should not be considered a DIY project. It requires a lot of planning to ensure that the drainage solution is effective. This takes experience and skill, which a foundation repair contractor can provide.
Jeff’s passion for basement waterproofing can be traced back to his early days at Everdry Waterproofing. He spent significant time working in every department not only to learn and improve but to help those who worked with him advance both personally and professionally.
Jeff has worked in the Waterproofing industry for 35 years, gaining experience in marketing, sales, service, and installations. As a seasoned basement waterproofing professional, he is passionate about advancing his knowledge in waterproofing and developing his team. In addition to basement waterproofing, he is also a board member for a non profit that educates and protects consumers against unethical business practices. Outside of the office, Jeff enjoys travel, music, and time with his wife of 36 years and his two sons.
Curious about the brains behind the great content here? It’s me, Jeff Schleuning, with 35+ years of expertise in the basement waterproofing industry and a rich history of owning a Basement Waterproofing franchise in Michigan.
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