Experts say epic Texas drought will last into 2012 | Latest State headlines from AP | Ne….
Experts say epic Texas drought will last into 2012 | Latest State headlines from AP | Ne…
October 6, 2011Watering Your Foundation
September 7, 2011Controlled Watering Program
Expansive soils act like a sponge. As they absorb water they swell and as they lose water they shrink. Soils tend to dry out (and shrink) during the summer and to absorb water (and swell) during the winter and spring. As the soil under a house shrinks and swells with the seasons, the house will move up and down. As long as the movement is not great enough to damage the house, most people do not consider the movement to be a problem. If the up and down movement of a house always returns the house to its original level position, then damage to the house may appear and disappear on a regular basis as the seasons change. If the homeowner wishes to stop seasonal damage, the first course of action should be to follow a controlled watering program. By keeping the moisture content of the soil under the house constant, foundation movement can often be stopped. PRO-SELECT FOUNDATION REPAIRS has written this handout to assist the homeowner in performing a simple preventative maintenance program.
The goal of a watering program is to maintain a constant level of moisture in the soil under the house. The best way to water is to place a soaker hose from one to two feet from the edge of the foundation. Placing the hose a short distance from the foundation allows the water to soak into the soil evenly. The hose should not be placed against the foundation. When soil has dried and cracked, water can travel along the cracks for several feet in all directions. If the soil around your foundation is dried and cracked, then water placed next to the foundation will run through the cracks and accumulate at the bottom of the grade beam (the thick portion of the foundation that is under the exterior walls). In some cases, an accumulation of water in the soil, at the base of the foundation can cause the soil to lose some of its load bearing capacity. If the soil loses enough load-bearing capacity, the house will sink into the ground.
Obviously, it is necessary to water more during hot, dry weather and less during cold, damp weather. The amount of water required to keep a foundation stable during the sum can be surprisingly large. A single large tree can remove as much as 150 gallons of water, or almost 20 cubic feet of water, from the soil each day. Shrubs and other plants can also remove large quantities of water. During persistent hot dry weather, it may be necessary to water a foundation daily. Watering should supply enough water to keep the moisture content in the soil under the foundation constant. If the amount of water applied is only enough to keep the surface damp, the watering program will not work. Obviously, the homeowner is the only one who can weigh the benefits of controlling foundation movement versus the increased size of the water bill.
Pro-Select Foundation Repairs
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(817) 542-0313
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Arlington eyes fee for roof-replacement and foundation-repair permits, inspections | Arlingto…
August 31, 2011Look for the signs
August 31, 2011Homeowners have faced many headaches and thousands of dollars in damages to foundations due to severe drought this summer. It is also making it tough for homeowners to sell their existing home with costly foundation repairs. Most home inspections will reveal any foundation damage.
The first signs of foundation issues are cracks in the wall, brick, doors that no longer close properly, and cracks appearing on the floor of your garage and patios. You will also see cracks in your yard since so many communities are restricting water usage and dry weather has caused soil to dry out and shrink and that movement can cause damage to home foundations. You can see a complete list for signs of foundation issues below.
You can take measures to keep the soil around your foundation safe. In dry periods the soil adjacent to the foundation should be watered to maintain constant moisture. Watering the area about 18 to 20 inches away from the foundation can help keep the soil moist and secure. Preventative measures are good but, once the tell-tale signs of trouble are there, it’s important to notify a professional and reputable company like Pro-Select Foundation Repair which has an A+ rating with the BBB.
A foundation repair company like Pro-Select will come out and assess the damage and give you a complete repair plan.
Look for the signs
How can you tell if your home has foundation issues? Here’s what to look for:
Exterior indications:
Doors do not open or close properly
Gaps in corners of fascia trim
Diagonal wall cracks at corners of doors and windows
Gaps between garage door and pavement
Windows that are difficult to open and close
Cracks in house’s exposed grade beam
Cracks in brick and mortar
Interior indications:
Uneven floors
Large cracks in concrete slab
Gaps above kitchen cabinets
Cabinet doors that do not stay shut
Diagonal wall cracks at corners of doors and windows
Curling and tearing of existing Sheetrock repairs
Leaks and cracks in and around fireplace
If you have any of the issues above, Pro-Select Foundation Repair can give you a free initial evaluation and always gives you a Lifetime Transferable Warranty. Call us today! 817-542-0313
Drought means cracking foundations under houses
August 25, 2011BY TERRY EVANS
House foundations are cracking across North Texas.
Cracks an inch or more wide have appeared in brick exteriors and drywall interiors. Exterior and interior doors are sticking in their warped frames. Frames around windows have gaps as wide as 2 inches.
And calls to foundation repair companies continue to soar, as the drought and oppressive heat linger, causing the soil to shift and wreck foundations.
“Our calls have probably tripled in the last two or three weeks,” said Craig Powers, president of Power Jack Foundation Repair in Fort Worth. “It’s just so hot and dry that this is when the soil shrinks the most and causes the most movement.”
Friday was the 28th consecutive day that it reached at least 100 degrees in the Metroplex, the third most in one year since record-keeping began. The official high at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport was 101 degrees.
That’s not good news for homeowners.
Of several types of soil in Tarrant County, the worst is a clay mixture that expands when moist and contracts when dry, Powers said.
“A lot of people call it Texas gumbo,” he said.
Expanding and contracting soil stresses foundations over years to the point that they break, Powers said.
Julio Rodriguez, president of Pro-Select Foundation Repairs in Arlington, said most of his jobs are in Arlington, Irving, Carrollton, Fort Worth and Mansfield.
“The soil in these areas is that black gumbo clay,” Rodriguez said.
The best areas for foundations are in west Fort Worth, Hurst and Euless, said Phillip Travis, sales manager for 1st Choice Foundation Repair in Hurst.
“West Fort Worth has a lot more rock and a lower base of clay,” he said. “There are areas in Hurst and Euless that have a lot of sand, which is probably best for foundations.”
Perhaps the worst area in Tarrant County is south of Interstate 20 along Texas 360, Travis said.
“Right now 85 to 90 percent of our workload is in south Fort Worth and on the 360 corridor south of 20,” he said.
And the workload is massive.
No insurance help
Home Savers Foundation Repair in Fort Worth has six crews working every day, spokesman Jeff Miller said.
“We had a similar situation in 2001,” he said. “The phone rang off the hook for two years. If rain doesn’t come, it can only get worse.”
Miller said that watering foundations can help stave off cracks, but it’s no guarantee.
Travis said foundation problems are often inevitable, which is why there’s a glass-half-empty saying in the industry.
“There are two kinds of foundations in North Texas: one that’s been repaired, and one that needs repair,” he said.
Foundation repair costs can range from $1,500 to well over $20,000, experts said.
Unfortunately, there’s no help from homeowner’s insurance. Jerry Haggins, a Texas Department of Insurance spokesman, said damage isn’t covered.
“The foundation damage from settling, cracking or earth movement is a typical exclusion in homeowners policies, not just in Texas but nationally,” he said. “It never has been part of insurance policies. It’s certainly a tough situation, but, unfortunately, it’s not considered a peril.”
But just because there’s a crack in a wall doesn’t mean you’re destined for a second mortgage.
“I’ve seen people who thought they had major problems, and it really wasn’t that bad,” said Margaret Gallagher, a spokeswoman for G.L. Hunt in Fort Worth.
Concrete vs. steel
The worst case Rodriguez has seen this summer is a 22-year-old, 2,000-square-foot house on red clay in Joshua, which costs $15,000 to repair.
Miller said the most common systems for foundation repair are concrete piers, steel piers and cable lock — basically a combination of concrete and steel pilings held together with cables.
“A lot of people have gimmicks,” he said.
Miller said he doesn’t believe that one system is better than others, but concrete is the least expensive.
Track records are important. Check with the Better Business Bureau before signing,experts said.
Lots of foundation companies offer lifetime transferrable warranties, but Miller said some aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.
Powers agreed that scams are all too common.
“A lot of foundation companies pop up each time there’s a drought,” he said. “It’s like roofers when there’s a hailstorm.”
Free estimates are also common among foundation repair companies, Powers said.
“The standard rule is to get three estimates,” Powers said. “The estimates should be very similar among reputable companies as far as the number of piers and locations. If there’s a wide difference, that’s a red flag.”
Terry Evans, 817-390-7620
Read full article: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/07/29/3257227/drought-means-cracking-foundations.html
Foundation Repairs and Selling Your Home
August 25, 2011Foundation Repairs and Selling Your Home
If you are planning to sell you home, Pro-Select Foundation Repairs recommends that you consider the following:
In Texas, when you sell your home, you have a moral and legal obligation to disclose the existence of foundation damage and prior foundation repairs.
How will the financing affect the way foundation repairs are done?
Owner Financed
As long as you disclose the existence of foundation problems, you do not even have to fix your foundation. You may choose to sell the house on an “AS IS” basis.
Conventional Loan
Prior to financing, lenders generally rely on inspectors and engineers to certify that a house is in an acceptable condition. The lender will usually demand that the work be done but will leave it up to the owner to choose the contractor. Check to see if the lender wants an engineer to supervise the work and provide a sign-off letter as detailed below.
Government Sponsored Loan / VHA / HUD / VA
When foundation repairs are made within one year prior to the sale date, the government requires the following:
1.)A registered professional engineer must prepare a structural evaluation
2.)The engineer must prepare a plan of repair
3.)The engineer must inspect the work while it is in process
4.)The engineer must prepare a “sign-off” letter stating the work was completed satisfactorily and in accordance with his or her instruction
Pro-Select Foundation Repairs
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(817) 542-0313
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Recognizing Foundation Problem Signs
August 23, 2011
Pro-Select Foundation Repairs
Select the best… above the rest
Recognizing Problem Signs
Foundation problems often appear on the exterior of a building in the form of cracks in mortar or bricks. On the interior, these problems show up as sticking doors or sheet rock cracking.
Bricks – Cracks in mortar and broken bricks are frequently caused by flexing of the slab. The mortar is weaker than the bricks and the bond between mortar and bricks is weaker still.
Foundation – Cracks in the slab are most often caused by shrinking of the soil underneath one section but can be due to swelling in another area of the slab.
Patios and Porches – Cracks or sloping floors are usual indications of problems.
Sidewalks/Driveways (close to slab) – Broken or tilted sections cause by soil
Fascia Boards – As bricks shift, gaps are created around the fascia boards
Doors – When doors stick or have cracks at the corners, or broken caulking at the frames, it is usually due to foundation problems.
Floors – Sloping/uneven floors, furniture sliding, or low spots are usually due to slab movement. Squeaky floors may be only loose boards that can be re-nailed, but they could be caused by foundation problems.
Walls – Wrinkles in wallpaper, cracks in sheet rock or gaps between the wall and moldings can be signs of foundation problems.
Windows – Binding and sticking sashes may be indications of stress that have distorted the window frame. Gaps in the caulking may also be present.
Call Pro-Select!
817-542-0313
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Drought means cracking foundations under houses | Arlington | News from Fort Worth, Dall…
August 8, 2011Great Service
September 8, 2009Great Service !!!
by dmsfwtx
August 31, 2009
Pro-Select Foundation Repair was right on time for our appointment. I really appreciated it.
Their prices were low, and the work totally professional.
I would highly recommend Pro-Select Foundation Repairs.
- Pros: Fast Service – Professional Work
