Settling Corner Due to Flooding Basement in Radcliff, KY

Basement flooding is a common problem in Radcliff, KY. When you think about it, Saunders Springs and all those beautiful streams means that water is abundant in our area. Most of us have experienced basement flooding at one point or another, whether it's from groundwater intrusion or rain induced flooding.
Many times, basement flooding leads to other problems, such as settling foundations. In the picture to the right, you can see a block foundation in a full basement. There are signs of water intrusion on both walls. The part of the problem that is harder to see is that the constant influx of water near the foundation wall undermined the foundation and caused the corner to sink.

Signs of foundation problems include stair step cracking in the interior or exterior of block foundation walls, gaping or cracking between the foundation and the framing of the home, bowing or bending of foundation walls, and squeaking floors. These problems indicate that the foundation is no longer resting on solid soil. The top layers of soil are often referred to as the "Active Zone" because they are prone to frequent movement due to moisture cycles that affect us seasonally.

The Active Zone in soil in our area is compromised of a mixture of sandy loam and silty clay. This means that the soil will settle unevenly when water is introduced. Then, when the soil drys out, it separates and regains some of its previous height.
In order to stop a home from being impacted by moisture cycles, it is necessary to take the home’s foundation off of the active zone and onto a stable load bearing strata. Here’s how Healthy Spaces repairs a settling foundation problem due to basement flooding. The Healthy Spaces Installation team will begin by installing deep foundation piers from the interior of the basement.

1. The installation team will expose the foundation footer and create a notch to place the pier bracket in.
2. The team will hydraulically drive steel push piers through the foundation pier bracket into the earth.
3. Once the push pier segments reach load bearing strata, the engineer will measure the hydraulic pressure and the installation team will permanently secure the piers.
4. The home’s weight will permanently rest on the piers and not on the Active Zone of soil, so the home will not shift and settle anymore
5. The installation team will cover the pier brackets and re-pour the concrete to finish the slab.

Now, the homeowners will be able to rest easy, knowing that their foundation is not going to move seasonally.