Frost Heave is Your Biggest Enemy This Winter

Winter Effects on Foundations

Upcoming perilous winter weather sets the population in a panic to get groceries, rock salt, water, and all the other necessities to make it through a storm. However, most people do not consider their foundation when making preparations for an incoming storm. Foundations can be adversely affected by inclement winter weather through the process of frost heave. Frost heave is when soil expands and freezes during winter weather, and the resulting shift after thaw causes damages to your home’s foundation. This damage can come in the form of cracks and uneven floors and ultimately is a safety concern for the integrity of the home.

There are several ways to find out if your foundation has been affected by frost heave.

• Cracks on interior or exterior walls – Cracks in the interior, or less commonly the exterior, walls could mean many things. However, if they show up after the ground thaws out, they may be due to frost heave.

• Uneven floors, or cracks in the concrete slab – Frost heave causes the soil to expand by pushing up one piece of a floor and leaving the other where it sits. This can cause problems with uneven or cracked floors in the long term.

• Doors that won’t close – This may be a sign that the floor has been raised due to frost heave and could be one of the reasons a door won’t shut.

However, the best option when you see a new uneven floor area or crack in the wall is to contact Basement Authority of West Virginia today to schedule a free inspection and estimate for your foundation and concrete cracks. We have several options for frost heave including concrete leveling, basic foundation repair, and slab repair. Call us today to find out what will work best for you!