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Preparing for Spring: Foundation Leaks and What to Look for

Gabriela Kurtz

Spring is on the way, and that means it’s time to start watching for foundation leaks. What makes a foundation leak different from a basement leak, though? And how can you protect your home from the worst of the spring rain? When in doubt, reach out to a local contractor for a free inspection and see what kind of waterproofing and foundation repair solutions fit into your repair budget.

What Causes a Foundation Leak?

While it can feel like foundation leaks appear out of nowhere, they’re typically the result of long-term stress. Your foundation, like you, experience stress due to environmental factors, include:

  • Heavy rain

  • Shifting soil

  • The material’s response to the weather

  • Large trees with invasive root systems near your home

These causes tend to work in combination to expose your foundation to hydrostatic pressure. The longer your foundation goes untreated, the more of its surface area will come in contact with groundwater. As your foundation’s materials begin to erode, your home will become more susceptible to cracks and leaks.

Symptoms of a Foundation Leak

Basement leaks and foundation leaks look fairly similar. However, basement leaks can form without damage having been done to your foundation. How, then, can you go about telling these two different types of leaks apart?

More often than not, it’s best to leave the detective work to a foundation repair professional. That said, there are some symptoms that are distinct from a foundation leak. These include:

  • Bowing walls

  • Shifting floors

  • Gaps at the joints of your foundation

  • Sticking doors

  • Foggy windows

  • Water-damaged belongings or furniture

  • Mold

Note that the aforementioned symptoms will only appear inside your home. If you let a foundation leak go for too long, you’ll start to see the leak impacting the exterior of your home. External signs of a foundation leak include:

  • Vertical cracks in your walls
  • A cracked chimney
  • Cracks running horizontally across your foundation
  • Sinking

Responding to a Foundation Leak

You’ve probably heard that foundation repair is unfairly expensive. While it’s true that foundation repair may dig into your repair budget, many myths throughout the industry have overblown both the extensiveness of the solutions and those solutions’ costs. Foundation repair contractors price by house. Each foundation leak, after all, is unique in its size and severity. Similarly, each leak will require the unique implementation of an industry-standard solution.

Some of the most common foundation repair solutions include:

  • Piering

  • Underpinning

  • Leveling and slabjacking

  • Sealing

  • Subfloor drainage

These solutions tend to run between $500 and $6,000, with prices fluctuating on an individual basis. If you’re worried about the cost of repairing your foundation, you can always talk to a local contractor about signing up for a payment plan.

Reaching Out for Help

Homeowners looking to save money may consider DIY-ing their foundation repair solutions. While this idea is presented in good faith, it’s never the best path to take when it comes to home repair. If you don’t have the certifications necessary to repair your home, you’re more likely to damage your foundation than you are to repair it. That damage will make your eventual repairs even more expensive.

If you suspect that your foundation may be leaking, it’s best to reach out to a professional. Baltimore’s local foundation repair contractors will be able to bring their years of experience into your home to better restore your foundation.

Whatever you do, don’t let the myths about price and repairs keep you from reclaiming your home this spring. Reach out for a free inspection and take your home back for yourself.