Montgomery is one of the oldest towns in Texas and is considered by many to be the birthplace of the Texas Lone Star flag. It is generally accepted that Montgomery began as a trading post in the mid 1820’s and was later organized as the third county under the Republic of Texas. Montgomery is located approximately 50 miles northwest of downtown Houston. It is located in Montgomery county and has a total area of 4.6 square miles. The population of Montgomery is less than 1000 but the town boosters point out that 55,000 people live in the immediate area. Dawson Foundation Repair provides foundation repair in Montgomery, Texas.
Montgomery Soil Characteristics As They Affect Foundation Repair
Montgomery is located on the Gulf Coastal Plain and its main characteristic is its flatness and clay soils. This coastal plain includes all of southeast Texas along with Montgomery’s larger neighbor, Houston. The Gulf Coastal Plain was formed when many layers of clay-rich sediment settled over time. The primary topsoil for the area is clay (mixed with sand) and it has a unique characteristic of variable volume with moisture changes. That is, when the soil is wet it will “absorb” water and swell dramatically in volume. And when the soil is extremely dry it will lose water and dramatically shrink in volume. The yearly wet and dry seasons cause significant soil movement – swelling and shrinking – and causes serious problems for concrete slab foundations.
The United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, in cooperation with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station issued an extensive report about the soils in Harris county (Houston) which borders Montgomery county. Page 63 of the report has a specific discussion about the soil and its impact on commercial and home foundations.
Foundations
Special attention needs to be given to the soils in determining if a site is suitable for foundations. In Harris County, some of the soils are montmorillonitic clay, which swells when wet and shrinks and cracks when dry. The pressure can be so great that walls and foundations crack even when specially reinforced. Damage because of shrink-swell potential is most likely to occur on Beaumont, Lake Charles, and Vamont soils. Other soils that have montmorillonitic clay in the lower layers are Bernard, Edna, Harris, Ijam, Kaman, and Midland soils. Other limitations to the use of soils for foundations are flooding, ponding, poor drainage, low strength, and high corrosivity.
For more information about Dawson Foundation Repair services, see the following:
· Browse a comparison of the foundation repair methods commonly used in Montgomery, Texas
· See a step-by-step illustration of the foundation repair process
Home Foundation Repair In Montgomery, Texas
Dawson Foundation Repair will provide FREE home foundation inspections and estimates for the Montgomery, TX area (free for homes not involved in real estate transactions).