Cedar Rapids Paper had picture of house. Foundation cracks-caused from drought.I had read that couple years ago in other parts of USA.I put soaking hoses around our house. and rock mulch.But some places got water restrictions. I have it ready just incase.To run wash water to sump-pump and will water with gray water. Put bucket in shower to catch water.
My area lives with foundation cracks happening year round, we have black clay that is either hard with cracks several feet long and about 12" deep or goopy as oatmeal but the last few years it has been mostly hard and cracked. Those cracks start running under houses, the house starts shifting and foundation either sinks or rises depending on the cracks in the ground and the walls crack. We do have a soaker hose around the house, the only watering we can do everyday during the water restriction season....which is May through October. Foundation repair companies are big businesses here. I feel sorry for those in areas that have never experienced it before.
There are a lot of cracked foundations here as we suffer with the drought. We have a wing wall that has cracked and will need repairs. We are also dealing with a broken water line that the plumber thinks may be related to the dry ground. Ugh! Concrete and mason workers will be busy for a long time.
An interesting problem. This happened to a slab foundation in a northern state and yet many houses sited in the southern states have not raised the flag of concern. Perhaps northern soils are inherently more moist, creating a broader spectrum of possible failure. Whereas southern soils have less moisture and their failure spectrum is narrower. Still one would think that some southern areas would experience a similar fate. Makes you wonder what is in store for future drought areas. Jerry
One thing About my basement not real deep. My tall Dh hates it. But old time cellar. Just used for wood burner.And to run to if we see funnel.Lucky not many in 40 years The trench around house in paper about 8 feet deep. All around the house $$$$$. But soil we have is sandy loam.Couple of customer Clay.Helped in flower beds-like cement. Dh had to use pick axe . To plant flowers for Her.
The library just had to have the foundation and some wall cracks repaired because of the drought. You could see through some of them. dooley
During the drought of 2011, there was alot of foundation problems around here. Our house is on blocks, so there was no worry for us. But after lots and lots of rain and time, it does have to be raised/leveled.
I showed the picture that was in paper to a friend who does cement work -how much $$$. He said about $20,000. The cracks was the wall to footing.
Jerry, what part of the south are you referring to? Our part has lots of foundation problems but it is so common it doesn't make the news. Water is the basic cause but it's not from soil being constantly moist or a total lack of water here. We have clay for soil and the expanding and contracting of the clay from summer drought to fall or spring rains then back to summer drought and sometimes winter drought between fall and spring rains. If the rains came frequently enough that the clay didn't have a chance to become hard as concrete and develop long, deep cracks there would be fewer foundation repairs needed. Costs of repairs are extremely high and that's just to repair the foundation...cost for repairing wall and ceiling damage is on top of that.
Yikes. I am glad we do not have such problems where we live. Although we have a basement. I know that in the southern states they do not put homes on basement hardly at all. Maybe that would help them to keep from shifting. Why don't they put basements under southern built homes?
Don't know about other southern states but .... South Texas is too close to the same elevation as the Gulf of Mexico which means you can hit water at as little as 10' below the surface. East Texas is has many swampy areas which also means the water table is too high for basements. Much of South, Central and West Texas has limestone not very far down....same rock that the Alps are made of....which means it is very difficult and expensive to dig/drill/explode through. Planting a tree is difficult in many parts of west and southwest Texas because the limestone is so close to the surface. North Texas is clay, no matter how far down you go you still find black clay and red clay up near the Red River. And no matter how far down the clay is there is still the problem of shifting with weather conditions, the same problems with foundations will happen to the walls of basements.
Maybe that is it, the problem is so common no one makes anything of it. Places where it never happened or rarely happens it's a big deal. The Northeast, as far as I know does not experience the problem. No matter where it happens though, it would cost big bucks to address the issue. As regions get drier perhaps home designers will design in a solution for new structures. Jerry
Cement guy told the the walls here all ways have some moisture in them.Rather finished basement.Or old time cellar like mine. I don't think any place has (normal) weather.Making rain barrels.One of my customer has wine and beer company.
