Foundation Repair Upper Marlboro
Originally established as “Marlborough Town” in 1706, Upper Marlboro’s architectural history dates back nearly three hundred years. As the county seat of Prince George’s County, the Prince George’s County Courthouse, County Administration Building, and the Sherrif’s Office Headquarters in Upper Marlboro have all undergone significant renovations throughout the decades.
Likewise, the homes in Upper Marlboro are a unique blend of old a new, with both charming colonial masonry and modern wood and concrete constructions. Unfortunately, the way foundations are built have changed tremendously over the course of the last three centuries. Foundation repair in Upper Marlboro has unique challenges due to the variety of foundations found in the town.
Types Of Foundations
Foundations are the base upon which the home is built. It is the structure that is in direct contact with the soil underneath the home and is designed to transfer the home’s weight to the soil. A moving foundation will result in damage to the home. Foundation repair in Upper Marlboro homes early in the process can prevent catastrophic damage to the home’s structure.
Modern homes in Upper Marlboro are built on several types of foundations, including slab foundations, pier and beam foundations, crawlspace foundations, and basement foundations.
Older homes, however, are built on stone or rubble foundations, which can degrade over time and may require significant masonry work to repair. Foundation repair in Upper Marlboro homes with stone or rubble foundations require specialized knowledge and experience.
How Do You Know If Your Foundation Needs Repairs?
Whether you have a modern cement foundation or an old stone or rubble foundation, the root cause of almost all foundation problems is an excess of water. On the East Coast, between winter blizzards and nor’easters, and summer hurricanes, it’s impossible to avoid large fluctuations in soil moisture near your foundation.
A well-built foundation has three components. First, the soil site must be properly prepared so that even large fluctuations in moisture do not cause the soil around the foundation to shift around. Second, the soil around the foundation must be properly graded so that excess water drains away from the foundation, rather than pooling near the foundation. Third, the foundation should be waterproof so that excess water does not force its way into your foundation through hydrostatic pressure.
If one of these conditions is not met, foundation problems could cause structural damage to your home. The following signs could be indications of foundation problems:
• A dank or musty smell coming from the basement
• Visible signs of mold in the basement
• Uneven, sloping, or warped floors
• Cracked bricks, cinder blocks, or mortar
• Rotation of the walls
• Cracking or bowing walls
• Doors or windows that won’t close or open
• Cracking or separating moldings
• Spaces between the wall and ceiling or floors
Because a good foundation must be designed with respect to the specific soil conditions of the build site, a foundation repair company must also take into account the soil conditions when making repairs. If you notice any of these signs, you should contact a company that specializes in foundation repairs in Upper Marlboro:
Repairing Stone Foundations – Foundation Repair in Upper Marlboro
In modern cement foundations, there are a variety of repair methods available to professionals. Simple crack repairs and waterproofing can address some issues, while some problems may require a complete foundation replacement.
There are also measures in between designed to fix a foundation problem without a drastic foundation replacement. Slabjacking involves pumping a concrete mixture underneath the foundation to solidify and stabilize the soil underneath the foundation and to raise the foundation back to a proper grade. Piering is also a popular method in which steel rods are driven deep into the ground until it reaches stable soil or bedrock and are attached to the foundation to act as additional supports.
Stone and rubble foundations require different repair methods. Stone foundations have usually long since stabilized and usually do not need to be raised or supported. The larger problem with stone foundations is usually shifting stones, and water permeability.
To keep stones from shifting, it is important that a qualified mason re-point the walls of the foundation, repair any cracks in the mortar, and stabilize the wall against structural failure.
Water management is also an important part of preventing further degradation and may require waterproofing the foundation and installing drainage systems.
Foundation repair in Upper Marlboro can be expensive, but if you notice any signs of foundation problems, it is important to address the issue before more extensive damage occurs.