Understanding Seasonal Shifts: How Temperature Extremes Impact Your Foundation

With winter weather and cold temperatures bearing down on homes across Michigan, many homeowners have asked us what role extreme temperatures play in the health of their foundation. At Tom’s Basement Waterproofing, we pride ourselves on giving homeowners the knowledge they need to keep their home’s foundation in excellent shape year-round and what signs of damage you should look for after extreme changes in temperature and weather. Let’s examine how temperature extremes can impact your foundation’s integrity and what signs you should watch as your foundation needs to be inspected.

Cold Weather Temperatures Impact on Foundations

Winter weather brings many challenges to the foundation of a home or building, as cold temperatures and freezing and thawing cycles can cause damage to concrete foundations over time. As temperatures drop in the winter, water trapped in the soil around your home’s foundation can freeze and expand, exerting large amounts of force and pressure on your foundation. This pressure can cause your home’s foundation to develop cracks, leaks, and water intrusion into your basement. This process is called a frost heave and can happen several times throughout winter if the temperatures in your area fluctuate above and below freezing. Frost heaves are particularly common in areas with poor water drainage away from your home’s foundation, allowing water to accumulate in the soil around your foundation. By improving water drainage away from your foundation, you can significantly reduce the chances of a frost heave damaging your foundation in cold winter weather.

Warm Weather Temperatures Impact on Foundations

As temperatures rise in the spring, melting snow and ice can cause water to accumulate around your foundation, increasing the hydrostatic pressure on the walls and damaging cracks and water intrusion into your basement. In the worst scenario, this increased hydrostatic pressure can lead to foundation walls bowing inward and even the flooding of your basement. You can reduce this risk by improving water drainage away from your home when snow begins to melt in the spring and during heavy rain that comes with summer thunderstorms.

Steps You Can Take to Prevent Foundation Damage and Leaks During Extreme Temperatures

Several things can be done on your own to protect your foundation from leaks and structural damage caused by extreme temperature changes. The first step is to locate areas of standing water around your foundation and take steps to improve water drainage away from it. Ensure that your home’s gutters and downspouts are directing water away from your home’s foundation. If you have areas around your foundation of standing water, grading the soil around your foundation can work to eliminate areas of standing water. You should also look for areas of soil erosion around your foundation, as soil plays a vital role in supporting and stabilizing a foundation. Cracks in a foundation should be professionally sealed, and you should regularly inspect your basement’s sump pump to see if water makes its way into it so it can be pumped out to prevent flooding. We recommend that you get your home foundation professionally inspected if you notice new cracks, water intrusion, signs of uneven settling, or other areas of concern in your foundation. By taking these steps, you can ensure your home’s foundation can make it through challenging temperature extremes.

Contact Tom’s Basement Waterproofing for Help With Foundation Repair, Inspections, and Basement Waterproofing

Since 1975, Tom’s Basement Waterproofing has provided affordable solutions to foundation repair and basement waterproofing for families and businesses across the Metro Detroit area. If you notice signs of temperature damage to your foundation, don’t hesitate to call our team at (586) 949-7826.