Each season brings with it a variety of factors that can result in damage to your property and winter can be particularly harsh on our homes. One question we receive all the time is what foundation damage could be attributed to winter weather and the answer, like many property damage concerns, can be a bit complex.

Here are a few things that could be caused by winter weather and what can be done to resolve them:

Water Intrusion

As the ground freezes and thaws, this process can change the dynamics of the soil, changing the path that groundwater and runoff may follow. What used to run out to the street, or dissipate in the yard, could find its way entering your home through the foundation walls or up through the basement floor…

These changes could be gradual over time, where you slowly notice more and more water coming into your basement, or it could be sudden, following a significant storm event or rapid freeze-thaw cycle. This means that even though your basement may have been dry when you purchased your home a few years ago, changes that you have little control over could mean that your basement isn’t dry any longer.

This can be further complicated in finished basements where walls and flooring can hide this water intrusion until it’s significant enough to cause damage to these materials or penetrate into the usable living space.

What can you do about it? Once the ground has shifted or the path of groundwater has changed, the only effective solution is to divert the water to prevent it from causing damage to your home. Fortunately there are a number of ways to do this that can be tailored to the unique needs of your home, from sump pumps to basement waterproofing systems. A basement waterproofing professional, such as Disaster Blaster, is able to tailor a solution to the unique needs of your home.

Foundation Cracking, Shifting, or Collapse

In extreme examples, ground that has been destabilized as a result of groundwater movement, runoff, or the freezing and thawing of the ground, can put pressure on your foundation walls. Over time, this pressure can increase until it has placed such a strain on your foundation walls that cracking, shifting, or collapse of your foundation walls can occur.

Not only can damage to your foundation be concerning, and rightfully so, but it can worsen quickly and potentially cause serious structural damage that can be costly to repair…

What can you do about it? Because these issues can become so serious if not addressed promptly, we recommend contacting a professional as soon as you notice any signs of foundation damage. If caught quickly enough, cracks can be repaired and secured so that they don’t worsen. If foundation damage has progressed to the point that it is shifting or collapsing, excavation of the soil behind the foundation and extensive foundation repairs may be necessary.

Mold

Most homeowners believe that mold issues require significant amounts of water intrusion, but that’s simply not true. In fact, mold prefers a slightly damp environment that provides it with the moisture it needs while allowing it to grow and feed on building materials…

As moisture enters through your foundation, it can increase the humidity in your basement, allowing widespread mold growth to develop on surfaces throughout your basement including on structural surfaces, rafters, and contents. In fact we regularly have conversations with homeowners that are shocked to find mold in one part of their basement when the moisture issue occurred in a completely different area.

Not only does mold create an environmental hazard in your home that can affect your indoor air quality, aggravate allergies, and cause a variety of health issues for you and your family, but mold growth actively feeds on the building materials that it is growing on, potentially causing long-term structural damage.

What can you do about it? Mold issues must be addressed following strict protocols and processes and using specialized equipment. If a mold issue is discovered, it’s important to hire a qualified team that specializes in performing these services, has the necessary training and equipment. As Mold Remediation is not a regulated industry in the State of Pennsylvania, many companies offer Mold Remediation services without the necessary training, experience, or equipment, making it difficult for homeowners to determine who is qualified and who is not. Disaster Blaster’s team have been providing Mold Remediation services to the Northeastern PA community longer than any other company and are recognized in the industry as having the expertise, training, and equipment necessary to perform these services and effectively address your mold issues.

Most property owners rarely go into their basement, allowing issues like these to become much more serious problems before they’re discovered. As so many issues begin in our basements, we always recommend that you take some time to inspect your basement periodically so that any issues discovered can be addressed as quickly as possible.

We hope this information was helpful and answers some questions that you have about property damage that could occur during the winter. As always, if there is anything that we can assist with, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

About Disaster Blaster

Disaster Blaster is an indoor environmental firm serving the Northeastern PA Area. We have been providing our local area with unparalleled basement waterproofing, mold remediation, water damage mitigation, asbestos abatement, radon mitigation, and fire / smoke restoration services for decades, and are proud to have been named The World’s Greatest Indoor Environmental Firm. For more about Disaster Blaster, as well as more helpful tips, please visit our website at: www.disasterblaster.com or call our office at (570) 963-1123.