Preserving a home’s value and safety starts with its foundation, whether slab or pier and beam. Eagle Foundation in Corpus Christi offers inspections of both types of home foundations, one of the few companies considered experts in both. Call or text 361-888-7738 for more information, or email info@eaglefoundationrepair.com. Just call at the above number for an appointment and we’ll take care of you.
Here are four good reasons to schedule a regular pier and beam inspection from experts like Eagle Foundation in Corpus Christi.
1. Home Value
When you put your house on the market, the last thing you want to find is a problem with your pier and beam foundation — an automatic debit to your home value. Foundation problems are enough to turn off any interested buyer. Even if you do not see yourself selling your home in the near future, you will want to ensure that a minor problem does not become a major issue in the future.
While some foundation repair is simple and relatively inexpensive to solve, such as restoring cracks less than 1/8 inch, other repairs can exceed thousands of dollars, including house leveling or foundation stabilization. Regular inspection can make sure that you catch any problems early, before more — and expensive — damage is created.
Foundation problems that are ignored sometimes lead to irreparable damage that can cause the home to be declared unsafe. Your property could even be condemned. Even if caught before demolition is declared, the longer you wait to repair, the more expensive it will be to fix.
To avoid that future surprise of a foundation concern, schedule an inspection by Eagle Foundation in Corpus Christi, every year.
2. Home Safety
You can do your own inspection by crawling under your house, but you need to know exactly what to look for once you’re in that cramped, dark, space with the insects and spiders. The best way to protect your home it to have an experienced, qualified foundation repair person do the job.
Safety issues with pier and beam foundations include the possibility of caved in floors, as well as allergic reactions to mold and mildew. Proper ventilation under your house is also important. Sometimes shrubs can block a vent, brush and trash can cover it, and it can become dirty and clogged, allowing little air to enter the crawl space. It’s even possible that the ventilation was covered with siding, brick or stone before you bought your house. Completely blocked or little ventilation can be dangerous, for several reasons.
During the summer months, it is especially humid in the Corpus Christi Area. The extra moisture in a pier and beam foundation can not only create the mold and mildew, it can also cause the wood on the beams, subfloor and joists to rot. During the winter, especially when with increased instances of freezing temperatures like we had in February 2021, it’s wise to cover the vents, but by early spring, it’s time to remove that freeze protection and let your foundation air out.
Mold exposure that creeps up through the floors and walls of your home is not pleasant. Physical symptoms you or your family may experience can include headache, sneezing, coughing and a runny nose. Symptoms are so similar to hay fever, that it is sometimes difficult to diagnose if you don’t know that you have a mold problem underneath your home.
3. Curb Appeal
When your pier and beam foundation is in disrepair, your entire house may display it. External cracks in the concrete footings or other outdoor facades, and shifting windows and doors can make it look a bit “off” to passers-by. Whether or not you are selling your home, the drive-up charm when someone approaches your house is a welcoming aspect that you want to maintain.
If your house is going on the market, the appraisal value is determined significantly on whether it is aesthetically appealing. A lower appraisal value means a lower price. And sometimes, when you repair the foundation, there are stylish updates, and yard upgrades you can add to make the value of your home soar.
Have your foundation inspected BEFORE you obtain an appraisal and put your house on the market. Keep your hoe beautiful and avoid the expense and hassle of trying to repair it when it has become unattractive because of foundation issues.
4. Elimination of Risk
When you have a pier and beam foundation, the crawl space is an excellent advantage over a concrete foundation when it comes to managing your plumbing pipes and electrical lines, because they are so much more accessible. In addition, a pier and beam issue particular to Corpus Christi is the potential for flooding. We can have incredible weather, but we also have huge rain downfalls anytime of the year.
While it is a benefit to be able to check on those lifelines of your home by going through a door in the floor to check it out without cutting through concrete, there are a few risks to considerate.
Pipe Exposure
The first concern is that exposed water pipes may freeze and burst. The winter storm of 2021 created a need for plumbers all over the State of Texas, including Corpus Christi, to repair water leaks from burst water pipes. This can be prevented by covering ventilation outlets in extreme cold.
Sometimes, a slow leak, rather than a burst, will occur. A foundation professional likes those at Eagle Foundation knows how to spot trouble with your pier and beam construction. While you may be able to spot it yourself if you go into the crawl space and see water puddling or muddy areas, a foundation repair specialist can identify what needs to be fixed and how to remedy the situation if structural damage has occurred.
Insects
Another risk to a pier and beam foundation is insects. Because the majority of the foundation is made with wood, with concrete pads to support the wood in the soil, it is susceptible to termites, carpenter ants and other pests. A foundation expert can inspect the wood closely to determine whether or not these insects are threatening the structural integrity of your home. If the pests can be caught in time, and treated accordingly, you will eliminate the risk of further damage.
Weakening Wood
Lastly, wood will eventually wear out in places of stress, especially when it is located under the home, with little regular ventilation. The Corpus Christi humidity, water, and other factors listed above can weaken it significantly. While it may take many years to deteriorate, if your home is older, a pier and beam foundation inspection should be a part of your regular home maintenance schedule. The skilled and trained employees of Eagle Foundation in Corpus Christi will provide an estimate to determine whether or not your foundation needs maintenance or replacement. Eliminating these risks are powerful reasons for why you need professional help.
In addition to establishing good drainage off of your roof and performing routine checks of your gutters and downspouts, it’s important to have a professional complete an inspection periodically to protect the integrity of your foundation, whether slab or pier and beam.
How much water gets to your pier and beam foundation can contribute to wood root, and the appearance of mildew and mold. Our inspectors are trained to see the cracks in the concrete footers or your walls, the weakened wood, the presence of wood-eating critters, or any pipe leakage under your home that needs repair. They are prepared to go under your house into the crawl space and do a full inspection and report. Call or text 361-888-7738 for more information, or email info@eaglefoundationrepair.com.
