Bellaire, Texas is a smaller incorporated city surrounded by its larger neighbor, Houston. Geographically it rests upon an area of unconsolidated clays, clay shales, and poorly cemented sands. These sediments consist of a series of clays and sands that result in a very high soil plasticity. Plasticity is the measure of how much soil shrinks or swells with changes in moisture.
Bellaire, like its large neighbor, suffers from soils that have a high clay content and that swell dramatically when wet and shrink dramatically when dry. These clay soils are the primary culprit behind home foundation damage. Concrete slab foundations are rigid structures and do a very good job of supporting the weight of a home or building. However, concrete slab foundations are supported by the soil underneath them. When the soil underneath the foundation moves, as in swelling or shrinking, it places forces on the foundation that are stronger than the foundation. When the clay soil swells in can raise part of the foundation, cracking it and damaging the interior portion of the home. In severe cases the roof can suffer damage and / or brick walls collapse. When the clay soils experience hot, dry weather they can shrink dramatically and literally “shrink away” or lose contact with the bottom of the concrete foundation. Then, that portion of the foundation literally has nothing supporting it and it can crack and collapse until it reaches support.
Do you know what the warning signs are for foundation movement and damage? Cracked exterior bricks, cracked interior sheetrock, and doors and windows that do not open or close properly are all warning signs of foundation damage. If you see some of the warning signs of foundation repair damage, then please call us today for a FREE Foundation Inspection (free for homes not involved in real estate transactions) !
Dawson Foundation Repair will obtain all necessary building and engineering permits to begin a foundation repair job in Bellair. Both a building permit and engineer report are required in your city. You may call the city building inspection department at 713-662-8230 for more information.