Your home’s foundation has a lot of responsibility, as it must support every structure in your home, including all of the contents inside. This includes the floors and walls throughout your house. When your foundation shifts, so too do these important structures. Over time, foundation damage can lead to floor and wall gaps – an unnerving site that can potentially turn dangerous. Don’t worry, FSS has the knowledge and solutions to help.
Floor and Wall Gaps
If you’re a homeowner in Texas, you know that floor and wall gaps can be a major headache. And with the state’s unique environmental factors, like hot and dry weather and high clay content soil, these issues can crop up more frequently than you might think.
Aside from being a tripping hazard – especially for kids and older adults – floor and wall gaps can also signal bigger foundation problems. So if you notice these gaps forming in your home, it’s important to act fast to avoid further damage. In the end, addressing these issues early on can save you a lot of headaches down the road and help ensure your home stays safe and stable for years to come. That’s why it’s crucial to be aware of the warning signs and take steps to prevent them from happening in the first place.
Sinking Foundation
Home settlement is a common cause of floor and wall gaps in many homes. When the soil beneath your home can no longer support its weight, it can begin to sink. However, this sinking rarely occurs evenly and is known as differential settlement. As a result, your home may shift, causing floors to become uneven and creating unsightly gaps in your walls.
Over Spanned Floor Joists
If your home is over a crawl space, the floors are supported by joists and support beams. The spacing of these joists and beams must be accurately calculated to provide sufficient support. If there is an error in the calculation, the result is known as over spanned joists. This means that the distance between the joists is too great, causing them to sag under the weight of the home and daily life.
As a result, a noticeable gap may appear between your walls and the floor. Over spanned joists not only detract from the appearance of your home but can also compromise its structural integrity.
Wood Rot
If you suffer from floor and wall gaps, you may have rotting wood. Although mold and mildew are easy to spot, it’s a good idea to have an expert inspect the basement or crawl space. Dry rot, for example, is a bit tricky to recognize with an untrained eye and can spread like wildfire resulting in larger gaps and putting your home’s structural integrity in jeopardy.
What Causes Floor and Wall Gaps?
Floor and wall gaps are a symptom of foundation damage. Overall, foundation damage is caused by problematic soil, generally brought on by certain weather conditions. Here’s how the environment can affect the soil around your home.
Expansive Soils
Expansive soils are a type of soil that expands in volume when they absorb water, and clay soils are known to be among the most expansive. This can become a major issue for homeowners, especially in areas like Texas that experience fluctuating weather patterns. Although Texas typically receives less rainfall than many other states, even occasional rain can cause clay soils to swell in size.
This swelling can create significant pressure on your home’s foundation, leading to cracks, upheaval, or uneven settlement – all of which can cause floor and wall gaps to develop.
Drought or Dry Soil
Southeastern Texas is characterized by a relatively arid climate, with moderate humidity and low annual rainfall. Chronic dryness and intense heat during summer months can cause the soil in the area to shrink and become brittle. This is particularly true for clay soils, which can develop deep cracks when deprived of moisture, rendering them unable to support your home’s foundation adequately.
Over time, the weight of your home’s foundation can cause it to crush through the brittle soil, leading to settlement and sinking. This can eventually result in the development of floor and wall gaps throughout your home, signaling significant foundation damage.
Soil Washout
As previously mentioned, clay soils are a common type of soil found in many areas of Texas that can experience expansion during rainfall. However, there is another type of soil, sandy loam, that is also prevalent in certain regions of the state and is susceptible to a different type of damage – soil washout.
Sandy loam soil is known for its excellent drainage properties, but heavy rainfall can easily wash away and erode it. When this happens, the soil underneath your home can be washed away, causing it to sink and resulting in the development of gaps throughout your house.
FAQs
We don’t advise using store-bought sealants to deal with floor and wall gaps in your home. Caulk, acrylic, or anything in between doesn’t solve the actual problem, it only provides a band-aid fix to floor and wall gaps. While the gap might look closed for a while with store-bought sealant, your home is still experiencing foundation damage caused by soil. Only professional foundation solutions can protect your home from soil issues. DIY solutions simply don’t work effectively!
Yes. Floor and wall gaps are just one symptom of foundation damage. If left unchecked, floor and wall gaps can translate into other issues – particularly problems in your home’s walls such as drywall nail pops or wall cracks. Moreover, gaps between your floor and wall could also lead to uneven floors, which can become tripping hazards for anyone living in your home. Don’t ignore floor and wall gaps when you see them because they will only get worse over time.
Floor and wall gaps are very easy to identify, as their name is literal. You will see an open gap between a section of the wall and your floor. This void could vary in size, but any separation between the floor and wall is a sign of foundation damage. Keep an eye on your floorboards, as this is where the gap will be located. Additionally, perform a regular inspection on your foundation. Protecting against foundation damage before it even gets started can prevent floor and wall gaps in the first place from forming in the first place.
Tips for Preventing Floor and Wall Gaps in Your Foundation
To prevent floor and wall gaps in your home’s foundation, consider installing proper drainage systems and maintaining them regularly to prevent water from pooling around your foundation.
Early detection of foundation problems can also help prevent them from escalating and causing floor and wall gaps. Look for cracks in your foundation, sloping or uneven floors, and doors or windows that stick or don’t close properly. Finally, plant trees and shrubs a safe distance from your home’s foundation, as their roots can damage your foundation, causing it to shift and crack.
Hiring a professional foundation repair company to perform regular inspections and maintenance is also recommended. A trained expert can identify potential problems and take the necessary steps to prevent them from becoming serious issues.
Explore Solutions
As a homeowner, floor and wall gaps may seem overwhelming. Fortunately, Foundation Support Specialists offers numerous solutions to address and prevent this issue.
Our team utilizes advanced tools and techniques, such as pier systems and carbon fiber wall reinforcements, to fortify your foundation against problematic soil. These solutions are tailored to your home’s unique requirements, safeguarding your foundation against weather and other external factors.
At FSS, we believe that you should not have to depend on uncontrollable factors like weather to determine your foundation’s health. That is why we provide comprehensive foundation solutions, putting the health of your home back in your hands.
Call FSS for a Free Inspection!
Dealing with floor and wall gaps is a frustrating experience for any homeowner. Not only do they present an unsightly appearance, but they can also cause many other problems throughout your home, from tripping hazards to structural issues. Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with these problems alone.
At FSS, we have a highly experienced team of foundation experts with over 20 years of experience in the field. Our company has proudly served homeowners in Texas since 2017, helping our neighbors with their foundation problems and providing top-quality service using only the finest tools and materials.
If you’re experiencing floor and wall gaps in your home, don’t hesitate to contact us today and schedule a free inspection. We’ll provide a comprehensive assessment of your foundation’s condition and offer personalized solutions tailored to your unique needs. With FSS, you can trust that your foundation is in good hands, so you can enjoy your home the way it’s meant to be enjoyed.
