How Does the Type of Soil You Have Affect Your Foundation?

The soil supporting your foundation often has an effect on the foundation’s stability. Here is how the type of soil and its overall quality can impact your foundation. 

• Soil Type  

Some types of soil are more susceptible to damaging your foundation than others. For instance, soils rich in clay and silt content tend to absorb more water, thus creating even more hydrostatic pressure against your foundation. Similarly, clay soils will dry and shrink in hotter weather, which leaves even more gaps for moisture to become trapped and expand outward again in the winter. 

Sandy loam soils, on the other hand, are much more stable. They remain mostly unaffected no matter how much moisture content they take in. Unfortunately, these soils are more likely to erode away over time, making them less sustainable as a long-term solution. 

• Quality of Soil 

The overall quality of the soil around your home can make or break your foundation’s health—literally. Weaker soils cannot even properly support your foundation, let alone carry the weight of your entire home. 

It is best to contact the foundation experts at Innovative Basement Authority to inspect the soil around your property to be sure. An expert will determine the soil type and its overall quality in their assessment, and recommend the repair solutions that best fit your situation.