Building foundations crack as Texas drought shifts soil

McALLEN — Better Business Bureaus around the state added a new item to the laundry list of problems caused by the drought — cracking foundations.

Bureaus in Texas have reported up to 75 percent increases on calls about foundation repairs from last year. According to the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Drought Monitor, most of the state of Texas is in an exceptional drought with other areas at severe and extreme levels.

Soil shrinks and expands, causing foundations to shift and crack, said Jaime De Leon the owner of Absolute Home Inspection in Mission. During rainy periods, the soil gets saturated and swells, he said.

“It pushes up against the foundation when it dries out, it shrinks and pulls down on the foundation,” he said.

Clay soil is particularly problematic and De Leon said he sees more foundation problems in places such as Harlingen where clay is more prominent.

The problems can start small and then increase over time, De Leon said, citing a Valley house where the wall pulled away an inch from the foundation over a 20-year period.

“It’s a problem I see on a regular basis,” he said. “You start having movement … the cracks are small and with time the cracks get bigger.”

Similar problems can happen with some swimming pools when the ground is dry, said John Stansberry, the co-owner of Hamlin Pools in Pharr.

“The ground is kind of like an accordion: with moisture it expands out, with dryness it contracts,” he said.

The movement can cause cracks in the pool or pipes to break, Stansberry said.

Stansberry said Hamlin builds its pools with thicker walls and more beam support to prevent such damage. Repairs can cost as little as $100 but go much higher as it can be difficult to determine what is causing the problem, he said, likening it to “finding a needle in a haystack.”

Pools on South Padre Island rarely have such problems because the Gulf of Mexico keeps the ground moist, he said. He recommended watering the ground around the pool to avoid damage.

Watering around a home can also help prevent home foundation shifts, Richard Flores, an inspector for Premier Property Inspection and Consulting, wrote in an email. He noted that residents should limit watering during drought restrictions.

De Leon warned against “fly by night” foundation repair companies.

Customers should check on their contractor’s credentials with the Better Business Bureau; request an on-site inspection; be wary of low bids and high pressure sales tactics; ask about a warranty; and review their contracts, according to a news release from the Dallas Better Business Bureau. The Bureau also states that some repairs might be covered under homeowners insurance.

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Gail Burkhardt covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at gburkhardt@themonitor.com or at (956) 683-4462.

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MORE INFO

Contact the South Texas Better Business Bureau at (956) 968-3678