How Summer Affects Your Foundation
Summer is often associated with a time of fun in the sun, but unfortunately, that same heat can negatively affect your house’s foundation. Park Range Construction knows how vital your foundation is and we want to help you look out for any signs it may be compromised. Specifically, we want to share with you the ways that summer can affect your home’s foundation.
1. Moisture in the Ground
Most homes have some foundation system, whether a crawl space or a basement. In most cases, the home's foundation will be less than 12 inches from the ground. For this reason, most homes experience a lot of moisture in their foundations during the summer months. When water is right against your foundation walls, it can cause cracks and problems with your walls.
2. Foundation Cracks
One of the most common signs of summer affecting your home foundation are cracks in the walls. During the summer, there is a lot more moisture in the ground, and as a result, it will cause your foundation to expand. When your foundation expands, it puts pressure on the walls and can cause cracks to form.
3. Concrete Lifts or Tilts
During the summer, your foundation walls expand, but your home stays put. The difference in the expansion will cause the concrete to lift, which could cause the concrete to crack. Over time the concrete can tilt, and you'll start to notice cracks near where the wall meets the floor; if left unattended, these cracks can end up becoming significantly larger.
4. Concrete Walls That Crumble
The concrete in your home foundation is usually made up of several different ingredients. Over the years, as the concrete is exposed to moisture and water, fine stones and mineral salts can loosen up and fall out of the mix. The problem with this is when it comes to cracking your foundation walls in the summer; it will be easier for them to break because of how easily they'll crumble.
5. Paint Fading and Peeling
When your foundation walls contract in the cooler months, they will leave behind cracks that fill with moisture and water vapor. As the ground continues to be warm, your foundation walls will expand again, causing the moisture to be pushed out of the cracks. This can cause what looks like a paint chip to flake or peel off.
6. Mold
The high temperatures in the ground causing your foundation to expand also play a role in mold growth. Mold can grow in any home on wet surfaces, but it can thrive even more when the ground temperature is high, and there is a lot of moisture in the air. As a result, you will notice that your foundation develops mold much quicker than the rest of your house.
Conclusion
As you can see, your foundation needs to be maintained and checked throughout the years. Although most of the damage is not visible on a day-to-day basis, you need to check the foundation system of your home at least every season. If you find evidence that your foundation needs major repair, call Park Range Construction to help!
Published on 8-11-2021