How Long Does It Take for Water to Damage a Foundation?

Time Frame for Water Damage

If you’re wondering “how long does it take for water to damage foundations,” it is important to remember that it depends on certain factors. This is because water damage to your foundation can be a gradual process of months or even years. It starts with small cracks in the concrete, which expand over time, letting in more and more water. However, a substantial enough crack can speed up this process, causing permanent damage to your foundations in as little as three days (72 hours).

The scary thing is it only takes a tiny amount of water to cause damage to your property’s concrete foundations. For instance, a small consistent leak can result in flooding, which causes erosion of the materials your foundation is made from, compromising its structural integrity.

Several factors can influence the speed of the damage done to your property’s foundation.

Soil Type

The first is whether the soil your property is built on is permeable. The issue here is that if the soil is less permeable like clay, water can more easily collect and then infiltrate your foundations causing problems. More permeable soil such as sand allows the water to drain away, wicking it from your foundations and resulting in fewer damage issues.

For reference, Texas soils can be Blackland or yellow clay, sandy loam (made of sand and clay), or just sand, meaning that soil can play a large factor in how well your foundation handles water.

Weather

This one might seem obvious, but weather will have a huge factor in how quickly water damages a foundation. Texas is far from the rainiest state, but did you know that heat can play a role? Texas is known for an arid climate and droughts are common, but severe heat over the past few years has worsened these droughts.

Droughts cause expansive soils— like the ones mentioned above— to shrink, making your foundation settle. Then when it rains, those soils expand. The quick movement of the foundation can cause cracks that seem to appear over a few days!

Size of Foundation Crack

A large foundation crack lets in more water and hastens the rate foundation water damage occurs. Many believe that you don’t need to worry about foundation cracks if they’re smaller than 1/4 inch. However, cracks wider than 1/8 inch are classified as structural and need repair as soon as possible.

Now you know just how damaging water can be to your home’s foundations, it’s time to take action to protect them. If you are concerned about water damage to the foundation of your property, contact our friendly and expert team for a 100% free inspection to get peace of mind on the structural integrity of your home today!