What Causes Weakening of the Soil Foundation Supporting Chimneys?
Complete chimney replacement can be costly and time-consuming. Detecting warning signals before they deteriorate is considerably more cost-effective. Understanding what causes chimneys to move in the first place would also be beneficial. What causes the infrastructure of chimneys to deteriorate?
Soil Deficiency
Shrinking soil with cracks and foliage
Most chimneys are supported by compacted earth, which bears their weight and allows them to remain erect. When the soil is loose or of low quality, it might have a severe effect on the structure of your chimney. Unfortunately, foundations and basements are frequently constructed on loose, backfilled dirt. The clay bowl effect calls for the earth to encircle and support the foundation in the shape of a compact bowl.
Looser soils or those significantly influenced by water content are frequently the poorest soils to utilize for chimney support. These expanding soils simply cannot support the weight for long, and erosion will exacerbate the situation.
Cities with a lot of rain, snow, and humidity are the most vulnerable to chimney problems. Because of all the trapped moisture inside the soil support, chimneys in wetter areas are more likely to tilt or sink.
Inadequate Grounding
The footing at the very bottom of your chimney is intended to keep it stable at all times. If the footing fails, it might have an impact on the entire chimney.
On both sides, chimney footings must be at least one foot thick and six inches broad. Anything less will cause the footing to heave in colder temperatures. The earth beneath may freeze and expand, putting further strain on an already fragile footing.
As a result of the pressure created by frequent water penetration in the soil, the footing and surrounding foundation may break. In certain situations, the continual flooding might totally ruin your foundation, requiring you to rebuild it in order to maintain your chimney.
Your foundation’s concrete may also be lacking the necessary reinforcements to avoid this. If left unchecked, inadequate footing might lead to further underlying concerns.
How Do You Repair a Chimney That Isn’t Properly Supported?
If you find your chimney tilting, it is reasonable to want to fix it as soon as possible. However, most homeowners are unprepared to do chimney repair. This is why it is preferable to engage a foundation specialist instead. The pros will know just how to swiftly and efficiently fix your leaning chimney and any other foundation concerns you may have.
Foundation Repair West Covina specialists will frequently need to check the damage surrounding your chimney and foundation first. Because each home’s foundation issues are unique, so are the remedies. Following the assessment, the foundation specialist will often install a piering system to stabilize and elevate your chimney. These heavy-duty piers dig deep into the soil before connecting to the foundation’s stronger supporting soils. This allows the surrounding earth to withstand the weight of your chimney more easily.
Unfortunately, such tools are professional-grade and not commonly available to the general population. RLM Retrofit Foundation will not only install this system swiftly and discretely, but they will also maintain your chimney and foundation for future generations.
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