Depending on the kind of car you drive you’ll experience different maintenance needs from other vehicles. Depending on how you drive and what you use it for will create other variables that influence how your car or truck ages and performs. A truck that is used for hunting may need more alignments than a car that is only driven on highways. The type tires you buy are also going to vary in size and price. But, whether it’s a car or a truck, in the country or in the city, you have to maintain the tires and the engine. The same is true for your home.
While there may be fewer variations, they can all experience the same problems. However depending on the type of foundation your house is built upon, the signs of damage and mode of repair can vary. Most homes built today have a concrete slab foundation, but many older homes may have a pier and beam foundation.
Pier and beam foundations were the popular method for supporting homes in the 1950’s and 1960’s. A home with a pier and beam foundation has wooden floors and a substructure (or beams) that are supported underneath by concrete piers. These foundations as they can be unique to older homes in Hammond and across Tangipahoa also have unique signs of damage and require unique repair methods.
Signs of pier and beam foundation damage:
- Leaning chimney
- Sticking doors and windows
- Cracks in your ceiling
- Sloping floors
- Cracks in walls
- Bowing or bulging walls
- Cracks in floors
Failing pier and beam foundations are typically caused by soil beneath the foundation. The soil in south Louisiana is an expansive soil. As the soil gets wet, it expands; and as it dries it contracts. The constant pulsing that is a consequence of our weather patterns can cause the piers to shift. This moving soil can also cause voids beneath the foundation causing the piers to sink.
If you have noticed any of these signs it is time to consult a trusted, local and knowledgeable foundation repair company. WCK Foundation Repair is the expert at repairing and restoring pier and beam foundations. Their skilled team understands the natural forces that impact our part of the state and structural details of these homes. For more information, click here.