Foundation & Concrete Repair in Panama City, FL

The majority of Florida is comprised of sandy soil, also referred to as Myakka – the Native American word for “big waters”. Southern Florida soil often contains more limestone due to the limestone bedrock below the surface. Meanwhile, Northern Florida soils in the panhandle contain small amounts of clay.

Both types have advantages and disadvantages. Central and South Florida soils are more susceptible to soil washout due to sandy soil’s loose properties. Northern Florida soils with small deposits of clay may absorb water a bit better, so they can avoid washout easier. However, clay is much more susceptible to shrinking when it becomes dry.

The hot Florida sun can cause North Florida soil to crack and shrink after a storm, potentially causing foundation damage. South Florida soils are less likely to be affected by shrinkage, but it can happen anywhere. Either way, all soil in Florida is sandy at its core. Florida’s regular rain and storms can cause foundation damage, so be aware of the soil in your area and take precautions accordingly.

Mold is a microorganism that is capable of triggering allergies, illness, or in the worst case scenario, hazardous breathing problems. Long-term exposure to mold damages your respiratory system, so a moldy crawl space is a health hazard. Even if you don’t spend much time don’t in your home’s crawl space, mold can still cause health problems because of the stack effect.

This is because the air in your basement or crawl space rises into your home and pollutes the air. Mold releases spores in the crawl space, so the air that rises into your home is infected with spores and other particles from the crawl space. Breathing this poor air quality in for months on end can lead to health issues. Plus, your nose quickly becomes used to the smell of mold, which can make identifying it even harder. Stay alert.

Mold is so persistent that you need to get remediation specialists to remove it. Professional mold removal is guaranteed to remove all mold from your Orlando crawl space, even the mold in places you never considered. Next, you’ll want to waterproof your basement with the help of the experts at Alpha Foundations. If moisture can enter your crawl space, mold always has a chance to grow.

Jammed doors and windows are a common sign of foundation settling. Foundation settling occurs when the soil layer under the foundation erodes and becomes uneven. Differential settling is the name given to foundation settlement that causes stuck doors and windows. When differential settling occurs, a house is settling sideways, and part of the foundation is breaking off from the rest of the house. Because the home is at an angle, door frames and window frames become warped and cause jammed doors and windows.

Sometimes this tilt lifts a home’s floor. If the floor is uneven and one part of it is raised enough to graze the bottom of your home’s doorframes, it can make doors difficult to open. Jammed doors and windows are a huge indicator that the settling has been going on for a while. Consider contacting Alpha Foundations for immediate foundation repair solutions.

Our team recommends helical and push piers that are installed deep underground in sturdy soils. The piers are also attached to the foundation so that they can transfer the weight of your home to these deep soils. Plus, the rods are made of galvanized steel to prevent corrosion. Both pier systems are permanent solutions to foundation settling, so they don’t require replacing every few years. Your doors and windows will be functional immediately and stay that way forever.

Foundations are vulnerable to all kinds of moisture damage. For instance, the soil supporting your Orlando’s foundation is made of loose sandy soils that are susceptible to washout. Even just one large storm can easily wash away sandy soil and cause the foundation to begin sinking. The already loose nature of sandy soil does not help. In fact, loose soil can start even before your home has been built.

Basically, contractors need to dig a large hole in the area where they plan to lay down the concrete slab foundation or crawl space. After each component is secured, there will be some space left around them that the contractors will then backfill in with some of the soil they initially dug up. This leads to the clay bowl effect. When this occurs, the much looser fill soil is far more susceptible to washing out as a result of the contractors’ construction methods.

Another way your foundation becomes damaged is through hydrostatic pressure. Orlando’s consistent rainfall can lead to the soil absorbing far more water than it is realistically capable of holding at once. This can create immense pressure against the foundation and cause it to shift out of its original placement or even crack apart.