Melbourne: a city of culture, business, entertainment, unreliable weather and (drum roll, please) common foundation issues!
As Melburnians, we take the good with the bad. We enjoy a nice spring day, followed by a torrential downpour. We catch a thrilling footy match, and cop bumper-to-bumper traffic on the West Gate Freeway afterwards. It’s a balance.
One of the slight negatives of Melbourne is that homeowners can experience common foundation issues. But most of the time, these are easily fixed by an expert team like Techniblock.
Here are the causes, signs and solutions for the most common foundation issues in Melbourne:
Moving foundation
When we think about foundation problems, the first thought that usually pops up is movement. It’s common for Melbourne homes to experience foundation movement, and thankfully, it’s generally a simple problem to solve.
- Causes
Moving foundation can be caused by several factors, which we’ll further discuss in detail, including settling soil after a home is built, erosion of sandy soils, changing moisture conditions and tree roots under the foundation. - Signs
Signs of foundation movement include exterior and interior wall cracks, bowed walls and floor The other obvious signs to observe are sticking doors and windows, which are sign of foundation levels moving. - Solutions
Underpinning, is the most common way to solve foundation movement and create extra stability.
Basement leaks
A basement leak is probably at the last of your list of things you want to happen. Though basement leaks are stressful for homeowners, they can be easily and effectively fixed.
- Causes
Basement leaks are often caused by ineffective drainage, foundation cracks and plumbing problems and leaking bathrooms which allow water to pool in the subfloor space.
- Signs
Damp spots, leaks or flooding in the basement, Also if there is a leak in the plumbing under your house you can usually smell it being damp when you go into the sub floor spaces. There should be no moisture present under the house at any time.
- Solutions
Installing drainage tubing, checking gutters, installing French/Aggie Drains and sealing foundation cracks are possible solutions for basement leaks.
Fluctuating moisture content
It’s common for Melbourne foundations to experience fluctuating moisture content, and this can lead to foundation issues:
- Causes
Temperature changes can create moisture fluctuation in your foundation but it is the differential moisture content that causes the most distress e.g. if there is a tree root sucking moisture or a plumbing or drainage problem in a particular spot, then it creates differential movement creating the cracks. - Signs
Signs of fluctuating moisture content include exterior and interior wall cracks, bowed wall, floor cracks and other signs of damage and sticking doors and windows. - Solutions
To fix fluctuating moisture content in your foundation we have to treat the direct cause, whether that means removing tree roots or installing underpinns that reach below expansive soil and provide more stability.
Think your home or commercial building might be experiencing one of these common Melbourne foundation problems? Don’t hesitate to contact the team at Techniblock. We’re experts in assessing and repairing foundation, as well as constructing top-quality foundation. As local specialists in piling and underpinning, there’s no foundation too tricky for us to repair, restoring stability and safety to your home. Grab a quote from our friendly team today and improve your home with Techniblock.