What is frost heaving, and what can you do about it?

Foundations, slab floors, and concrete exterior stairs heave when the soil underneath them expands. It is a quick and covert problem, that happens with little to no warning. It can cause your foundation to heave, and even has the power to lift your floors a few inches. Water in soil combined with below-freezing temperatures is what causes frost heaves, and certain soil types are more susceptible to this natural disruptance. As the frozen soil switches between freezing and thawing, it can cause the foundation of your home to shift since frozen soil has about 10% more volume than dry soil. This can lead to serious structural damage to your foundation.

Wall cracks are a usual sign that frost heave has overtaken your foundation. Cracks are most common on the interior walls, but they can also occur on exterior walls. Other signs of frost heave can include cracked, tilted or displaced concrete floor slabs. What are the best solutions for problem like this? 

Start by having an experienced foundation repair specialist inspect the issue, and identify what is causing your problem. Once the problem is identified, a customized solution can be proposed to repair the damage and address the cause of the issue. Here at Connecticut Basement Systems, we do everything from helical piers, to installing steel tubes, or push piers, we are here for all of your foundation solutions! Call us today for your FREE foundation estimate!