Lintels are structural devices that are used to support brick, stone, or other types of masonry work. If you have noticed that the lintel areas around your garage, doors, or windows have begun to sag or break, you will want to schedule immediate repairs. A company that offers foundation repair and waterproofing near San Antonio can also provide you with concrete correction services. By trusting your lintel repair to a qualified contractor, you can feel great knowing that your home’s masonry is in great shape. Read on for quick guide on what you need to know about lintel repair.

Assess the Damage

The first step of lintel repair is to take the time needed to fully assess the damage. Typically, lintel problems are caused by improper initial design. Your contractor will need to check to see where the initial problem took place, and what has caused the structural issue. This information will be invaluable when it comes time to design a new lintel support system.

Remove the Problematic Areas

After the damage has been assessed, it will be time to remove the damaged areas of the lintel. In order to keep the structural integrity of your property intact, your contractor will need to make sure that the lintel is supported by an exterior brace. With the lintel properly braced, your contractor can remove any damaged mortar, bricks, or other materials. Additionally, the damaged area can be cleaned out and prepared for the repair procedure to take place.

Replace the Damaged Lintel

Once the problematic areas have been properly removed, it will be time to replace the damaged section of lintel. In order to secure the lintel into place, your contractor will use a series of very heavy duty bolts. After the bolts have been drilled into place, the lintel will be returned to its proper positioning. To finish the job, your contractor will smooth a matching mortar product over the surface of your lintel.

Water damage is one of the most common reasons that homeowners schedule foundation repair. If water damage has affected the structural integrity of your pier and beam foundation, it may be time to hire a contractor in San Antonio to help you design an improved drainage solution for your home. A French drain installation can help water move safely and effectively away from your basement and foundation. With your French drain installation completed, you can rest assured that your foundation is protected from flooding and water damage. Read on for a look at what you need to know about French drains and your home.

How French Drains Work

French drains rely on remarkably simple principles to eliminate water from a home’s foundation. When a French drain is installed, your contractor will create a gravel filled trench for water to flow through. During a heavy rainstorm, water will naturally collect in this trench. As the trench fills with water, gravity will naturally pull the liquid down and away from your property where it can empty at a safe location away from your house.

How to Choose a French Drain Site

In order for a French drain to work effectively, it must be placed on an effective location on your property. For example, your contractor will need to choose a low lying area for the trench to flow toward. If your property does not have the proper slope, your contractor may choose a dry well or ditch as your drainage site.

Signs You Need a French Drain

To determine whether a French drain is right for your needs, it is important to be on the lookout for the signs of basement water damage. When you find that water gets into your basement on a frequent basis, you may be in need of a French drain installation. Additionally, French drains should also be included wherever there is a retaining wall. Your contractor can help you determine whether a French drain is right for you.

When you build a home, there are several different foundation designs your builder can choose to implement. A pier and beam foundation is a common type of foundation, particularly in older homes. This construction design uses a combination of piers, which are anchored in the ground beneath your home, and beams, which run the length and width of your home, to essentially support the structure of your home without requiring it to rest directly on the dirt beneath it. Pier and beam foundations are an older design, but still remain popular because of their simplicity and their stability, particularly in areas where the ground contains a significant percentage of expansive clay. While a well-built pier and beam foundation should experience few problems, aging or poorly-designed pier and beam foundations may develop problems that require foundation repair. If you think your home may need pier and beam foundation repair near San Antonio, this work should always be performed by a contractor experienced with pier and beam foundation construction and repair to ensure that repairs are completed properly to protect your home and your foundation from further damage.

Your foundation, while strong and stable, is vulnerable to damage caused by excess water. Over time, water can wear away the material of your foundation and affect the ground around it, leading to serious cracking, shifting, and settling that requires professional foundation repair to address. If you are suffering from a water problem affecting your foundation or basement, the success of your waterproofing solution will depend on a combination of barrier and drainage solutions; your professional contractor in San Antonio will examine your home and its existing drainage to determine how improved drainage will protect your foundation from future damage.

Protect Your Foundation

Proper drainage is essential for a healthy foundation. When water is allowed to pool around your home, it will affect the ground and the materials that make up your foundation. This excess water is the cause of cracking and deterioration of the foundation itself, while also destabilizing the earth that supports your foundation and your home. Proper drainage will prevent water accumulation in the area immediately around your home, instead funneling it away from your house so it cannot cause wear and tear on your foundation.

Waterproof Your Basement

Basement flooding is a common problem in homes across the country. A wet basement can increase your risk for developing a mold problem at home, while flooding can also damage any items you have stored in your basement, including HVAC and water heating equipment. Proper home drainage will eliminate the risk of basement flooding and is a frequent component of the basement waterproofing process. Investing in drainage correction is a cost-effective and long-term solution that will protect the value and condition of your basement, as well as the belongings it contains.

If you’re suffering from basement flooding and foundation damage, drainage correction can put an end to these problems. The general contractors you hire to complete your foundation repair will consider all the causes of your foundation damage to take the proper steps to address this issue.

If you have a flooded basement or front yard, it is obvious that you need drainage correction near San Antonio . However, some drainage problems are not as easy to identify as signs that you need drainage correction. Here is a look at some of the more subtle signs that you should investigate your drainage correction, waterproofing, and foundation repair options.

Cracks in Your Foundation

Your foundation will develop small, almost unnoticeable cracks over time, as the house settles into the foundation. However, if you discover larger cracks, particularly ones that keep growing, you may have a serious problem. Cracks that continue to widen could be the result of a drainage problem that is ruining your foundation. You should contact a general contractor or waterproofing expert for an inspection of your foundation. Your general contractor may recommend foundation repair, waterproofing your basement, and drainage correction to reduce your risk of further problems.

Mold in Your Attic

Surprisingly, the growth of mold in your attic can be related to drainage problems at your home’s foundation. Moisture in your basement or crawlspace can gradually travel upwards through your home, eventually gathering on the underside of your roof. If you don’t catch the problem early enough, your roof can develop serious structural problems. Exposure to mold growth can also contribute to or exacerbate serious health problems. Your general contractor might suggest interior basement waterproofing and exterior basement waterproofing to prevent moisture and condensation buildup. He may also recommend a French drain installation to divert storm water away from your foundation.

Deposits and Water Stains on Walls

If you notice water stains high up on your foundation walls or basement walls, water may be infiltrating the foundation via an overflowing storm gutter. If water stains extend around the perimeter of the basement in a line, it may be caused by a fluctuating water table, or storm drainage backup. White or gray deposits on your basement walls are signs that water and moisture are trapped within the walls. A contractor can perform drainage correction and a French drain installation to prevent these problems from reoccurring.

Standing water may develop around your home’s foundation if you don’t have an adequate storm drainage system consisting of drainage pipes, catch basins, a sump pump, and a French drain installation near San Antonio . Comprehensive drainage correction, combined with exterior and interior basement waterproofing, can prevent serious structural damage to your home. Without proper drainage correction, you may be on the hook for costly foundation repairs.

If you notice puddles around our home’s foundation, you should call a general contractor for an inspection. The soil under your foundation may have eroded over time. Your downspouts may be spilling out too much water too close to the foundation. Your home’s gutters may be clogged with leaves, blocking the flow of storm water and causing it to divert to unwanted areas of your home. Your gutters could also be improperly pitched or an inappropriate size for your home’s needs.

Your contractor will determine the source of the standing water around your foundation. He can then offer solutions, such as foundation repair, waterproofing your basement, drainage correction, a French drain installation, re-grading the ground around your foundation, and repairing or replacing storm drainage systems.