Foundation Heave

Foundation Heave

Experts in Foundation and Slab Repair in Greater Washington D.C.

How heaving foundations & slabs lead to damage of your home

diagram of foundation slab that is experiencing upheaval

Foundation upheaval can lift an entire structure, but more often it forces parts of a foundation or slab upwards, while other sections remain stationary.

Have you noticed cracks in the walls of your home, cracking concrete floors, or displaced or tilting slab sections? If so, your foundation or slab floor is moving upwards, leading to cracks in the walls and floors of your home.

NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair are your local experts for foundation heave repair. We can help you identify the actual cause of your problem and provide you with a quality solution. Call us today to get a free estimate on all our foundation repair services in Arlington, Washington D.C., Alexandria and the nearby areas.

What causes foundation upheaval?

cracks in a slab floor consistent with slab heave in Germantown.

Cracks on floor slabs that are caused by foundation heave come together to a point or form an enclosed loop where the heave is greatest.

Heave is the upward movement of a foundation or slab caused by underlying soils that expand or swell. This occurs due to an increase in moisture or by freezing forces. Heave is more common with slabs than foundations because slabs have less weight to resist heaving forces. Unless there is a long period of drought, heave most commonly occurs within the first few years of the building's construction.

Slab and foundation heave are most commonly caused by these four forces:

How we solve foundation heave

Be sure it's foundation heave

Foundation heave and foundation settlement have similar symptoms, and to the untrained eye it may appear that foundation walls are going down when in fact the floor is coming up. However, the solutions to these two problems are very different, making it essential to get a correct diagnosis.

Since unwanted water accumulating in the soil under your home – and the pressure it brings – is typically the cause of slab and foundation heave, our first priority will be to eliminate water sources wherever possible. We will check for underground water line leaks, clogged drains, broken sprinkler lines, as well as faulty gutter and leader systems. Once we have fixed water problems, we can begin making repairs like:

Other causes for heaving include tree roots and pressure from adjacent buildings. Regardless of the cause, a professional foundation contractor is the best person to evaluate foundation heaving problems and suggest suitable solutions for your home.

We do foundation heave repair in VA, D.C., and MD!

At NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, we have the tools and training available to fix foundations and slabs that are experiencing problems with upheaval. We offer foundation and slab heave repair quotes to all within our Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland service area.

If you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation appointment with one of our foundation specialists, call or e-mail us today! We proudly serve Alexandria, Arlington, Washington D.C., Gaithersburg, Ashburn, Bethesda, Sterling, Fairfax, Gainesville, Silver Spring, and throughout the nearby areas.

Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.