Winter brings extreme cold air, which is very dry. The dry air tends to pull moisture from the soil around your home and that dry soil can crack and pull away from your foundation. The soil around your foundation helps support it, so this can be very damaging. 

Freezing, Thawing, Refreezing

Winter climates drastically vary. One day it's freezing temperatures and the next it is warmer and sunny. Melting snow can cause water to leak into cracks in your foundation. When the next cold snap comes along, that water can refreeze, expand, and make those existing cracks even worse. This repeating pattern of freezing, thawing, and refreezing can be very stressful to your home's foundation. 

Flooding

Once you have cracks in your foundation, it is inevitable that water will try to get in. Whether it's rain, snow, or standing water, your crawl space or basement is likely to get wet. Even the smallest of water damage can wreak havoc on your home's foundation. If you use your basement for an additional living space or storage, that makes matters even worse. If your crawl space floods, water can have a significant effect on the foundation and can damage any plumbing or electrical work down there. 

How Do I Fix This?

While these problems are very worrisome, there is help! In some situations, the problem you're having is that the dirt around your foundation is pushing too hard on the walls, causing it to bow, crack, or even crumble. When your foundation shifts, your floors inside the home slope, some doors won't shut, and floors can be cold to the touch. The installation of wall anchors can mitigate the worry of the foundation collapsing, even if the dirt is pressing in dramatically. 

If your basement regularly has water issues, installing an interior drainage system or a sump pump, along with the use of vapor barriers and dehumidifiers can help get rid of standing water, mold and mildew. 

If your crawl space is not seal, you're inviting water and even pests, to come visit. Moist air and water can enter the crawl space and affect the entire home. By laying down a vapor barrier around the crawl space, water is shut out, and moist air is no longer being filtered throughout your home. 

All in all, any water, including melting snow, can greatly affect your home's foundation. It is important to know what elements to look for and how to fix the issue. Before the snow starts falling, call us for your FREE, no obligation inspection for your home! 1-304-768-2135