Home Foundations in South Dakota
The foundation is probably the most important aspect of the home; it supports the entire structure. For this reason, it is vital to make sure that your home’s foundation is adequately cared for. The task of foundation maintenance, however, varies for every homeowner, as every foundation is different. To best take care of your foundation, you must first determine what type of home foundation you have, as there are several types of foundations used in home construction nowadays. To solve any problems you might have with your home foundation in South Dakota, contact Rapid Foundation Repair today.
The first type of foundation is a basement foundation. This type of foundation consists of – you guessed it – a home built on top of a basement. These foundations are common in areas where the frost-line is deep underground. Having a basement adds value to the home, as it extends the living space significantly. Basements can also be quite expensive, and require proper drainage. Generally, the best way to provide adequate basement waterproofing is with a good sump pump system and interior drainage system. also, if your basement walls begin to bow or lean, you may need to invest in wall anchor or helical tieback installation. Rapid Foundation Repair provides for all of your basement’s needs.
Next is a crawlspace foundation, which is similar to a basement foundation, except the home is built on top of a crawlspace, above the ground, instead of a full basement. Crawlspace foundations are usually built in places where the frost-line is not as deep. This type of foundation is built with stem walls on the outsides, and a girder system and floor joists on top of that. crawlspaces, like basements, also require proper waterproofing. The most effective way to ensure that your crawlspace does not develop moisture problems is by installing a vapor barrier with crawlspace encapsulation methods. In addition to moisture problems, your crawlspace could also develop structural issues. If this is the case, Rapid Foundation Repair can install crawlspace piers for support.
Variations of Concrete Home Foundation in South Dakota
Another common type of home foundation in South Dakota is the concrete slab foundation, which comes in three standard variations: T-shaped, slab-on-grade, and frost-protected. A T-shaped concrete foundation uses deep T-shaped footings to support the concrete slab foundation, which is poured on top of gravel for drainage purposes. Slab-on-grade foundations are single layers of concrete, poured thicker at the edges to form footings. Used with heated structures, frost-protected foundations utilize insulated concrete to prevent freezing and heat loss. All of these concrete slab foundations are susceptible to sinking, settlement, and foundation cracks in the right circumstances. To raise settling foundations, Rapid Foundation Repair uses top quality helical piers or steel push piers from renowned supplier ECP (Earth Contact Products). If you have a slab foundation, watch for telltale signs of foundation failure: wall cracks, bowing or leaning walls, sloped or uneven floors, sticking doors, sticking windows, and leaning chimneys.
No matter what type of home foundation you have, Rapid Foundation Repair can help you keep it in top condition. Contact us today for all of your foundation repair needs.