Slab on grade concrete foundations are common in some areas of the country as well. A T-shaped footing is installed below the frost line for added support. T-shaped foundations are used where the weather is cold as well. Frost resistance concrete is even an option, which is a great benefit. This can make the difference between cinder block repair and complete foundation replacement.Ĭoncrete Foundation: Today there are some benefits to using concrete. Get to know your foundation by inspecting it frequently. It is important to monitor cinder block foundations for changes. Settlement can cause cinder blocks to crack, shift, and leak. If cinder blocks aren’t sealed properly, however, or the ground beneath them wasn’t even and compacted prior to building, big problems can arise. As long as they installed on the firm, compacted, even ground and no shortcuts are taken, then this can still be a great option in your home. In these cases, blocks or cinder blocks might be used. If you are building a home in a rural area, sometimes a ready-mix truck can’t make it to your location to pour concrete. Be vigilant with any type of foundation, including cement foundations.Ĭinder Block Foundation: Cinder block foundations aren’t always a bad option. If pressure is put on these walls they can bow and lean, and even crack. The same factors that cause problems for other types of foundations such as block and brick foundations can wreak havoc on poured concrete foundations as well.
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If you have a cement foundation, you still need to watch for foundation cracks and leaks. This will add additional support for your poured cement foundation. If you have a new construction home, it is a great idea to ask for new construction piers to be installed. Cement foundations can still have problems. One of the main pluses of a cement foundation is its fire resistance. These are considered strong foundations, easy to maintain. There are bracing and reinforcing tools that foundation repair specialists can use, so contact your local foundation support specialist to make sure the right repair is being performed.Ĭement Foundation: The cement foundation is commonly used in building today, especially poured concrete foundations. Sometimes you can just have the mortar or brick repair by a masonry specialist, but sometimes the walls need to have added support. This occurs commonly when the brick and mortar breakdown. The soil around these foundations will exert pressure on them, and push them in. If you notice this happening, make sure to look at the walls closely for bowing and leaning of the walls. Mortar can break down, bricks can start to peel. The problem with these foundation walls is that over time, they can become weak. Red brick and mortar were a commonly used building material at the time. If you have an older home you may notice this is your foundation type. When the pressure is exerted on block foundation walls, bowing and leaning can occur.īrick Foundation: It was very common in the early 1900’s to use brick and mortar to build foundation walls. The pressure that is built up by that extra water is called hydrostatic pressure. This is sometimes caused by water in the soil around your home. This is because pressure is put on the walls from the outside by a build-up of pressure. Another problem frequently seen in these foundations is bowing and leaning. If the extra steps aren’t taken to strengthen these walls, water can get in through the blocks. These block basement retaining walls should be sealed completely, and sometimes “rebar” is used to add strength.
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If it is not built correctly, however, the result can be extremely costly foundation problems. Sometimes it is even stronger than a traditional poured concrete foundation. Common Foundation Typesīlock Foundation: If you build a concrete block foundation the right way, the result can be an extremely strong foundation. Here is a list of some of the most common types of foundation and a little bit about each of them to help you know what to look out for in your home or business. This will help you know what type of foundation problems to look out for, so you can make sure to get the needed foundation repairs for your type of foundation. It is important as a home or business owner to know as much as possible about the type of foundation you have in your structure.