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Serving Maryland,
N. Virginia, D.C. Metro area

basement waterproofing A angieslist rating

They finished the job and had the job site cleaned up in less than a day. My wife and I were amazed!

Cause

The most common problem caused by marine clays in Northern Virginia is the settlement and heave of house footings. During dry periods, the soil loses moisture, shrinks and settles into the void left by the evaporating moisture, causing gaps under the footings. The house then settles resulting in cracked masonry walls, interior cracks in plaster, and warped door and window frames. See Figure 1 below.

Deep-rooted trees and shrubbery planted near the house or right next to the walls contribute to the problem by drawing water from the soil through their root system causing further moisture loss, resulting in further shrinkage. Foundations that have settled during dry periods will sometimes rebound or return somewhat to the original position after enough rainfall replenishes the soil moisture, which causes the soils to swell again. After several cycles, the rebound of the foundation may become progressively less resulting in larger cracks.

Solution

Footing support must extend to deeper and more stable soils. In new construction, footings can be placed further below the ground surface; the exact depth is determined by an engineering soils investigation. Trees and shrubbery should be planted at least 20 feet away from the house.

On existing construction, underpinning or helical piers are often necessary to reinforce a foundation damaged by settlement. Underpinning a house consists of new footings that extend below the original footings throughout the damaged area. Helical piers are steel anchors that are drilled into the ground to a deep depth and attached to the existing footings. Underpinning and installation of helical piers requires an engineer's report and a county permit (and it is expensive).

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