Q&A about how to make foundation flood damage assessmen.

This article series includes a case that demonstrates the inspection, detection, diagnosis, and repair repair recommendations regarding structural damage (or none) to a building foundation wall and floor slab following flooding.

Q&A How to Recognize Flood Damage to a Foundation

These questions & answers about diagnosing & evaluating flood damage to building foundations were posted originally at FOUNDATION DAMAGED, by FLOODING - you will enjoy reviewing the photos, advice, and analysis given there.

On 2017-12-27 by (mod) - differentiate post flood Settling verses Foundation building damage

"settling" whether caused by area flooding or something else, is one type of building or building foundation movement that can cause structural damage.

An experienced inspector or engineer can usually find evidence of the history of building movement as well as the cause of movement that in turn will suggest whether or not damage was pre-existent or was caused by a recent flood.

If you have photos of the condition of the foundation before the flood that would, of course, end any arm-waving arguments.

On 2017-12-22 by Verda Gaines

How can you differentiate post flood Settling verses Foundation building damage.

If Engineer assessment done 5-6 weeks later. Interior damage progressively worsening cracks & gaps on ceiling, walls, corners, angles widening & outer bricks with new cracks forming?

None before flooding & few beginning 5 days post flood ( buckling at seams but no gaps, wavy, fine lines in walls.

On 2017-08-23 by (mod) - water comes into house when yard floods

Dan

I would start by looking outside at surface runoff control and roof drainage spillage control since a roof spilling along a foundation is a sure common problem.

I would look inside for clues about exactly where water is entering, height on walls, proximity to sewer lines or vents or floor drains.

I can't guess more usefully as I don't have a shred of information about your house, country, city, state, location, soil conditions, construction, use of slab or crawl or basement, foundation materials, condition of roof gutters etc.

A priority list of things to check that's more ordered and complete is

at WET BASEMENT PREVENTION

On 2017-08-23 by Dan

Hello, when the ground in my backyard becomes saturated from a heavy rain storm, rooms adjacent to the backyard start to flood namely the kitchen.

I'm guessing there must be cracks in the foundation beneath the soil but I'm hoping there may be another reason for this that would be cheaper to fix.

I've put down several bags of dirt so the water flow will go away from the house but I'm starting to believe I'm wasting my time as I've done this several times already.

All help is greatly appreciated

On 2016-11-10 by (mod) - building flood frequency increases as climate is changing

Flooding and related damage and damage prevention are only going to increase as concerns as the climate continues to warm rapidly and thus weather patterns change as well.

In the past few years this area of our website has seen increasing traffic for just those reasons.

So we particularly welcome questions, critique, and content suggestions related to flooding and flood damage.

On 2016-11-10 by Loyd O'Neal

Thank you ,sir. I will try that, again, as soon as, I return home, from M.D.Anderson, in a couple of days. I'm not certain, exactly, when.

I'm undergoing restaging, and will get on it, soon. Thanks, so much, for bearing, with me. Loyd O

On 2016-11-07 by mod - how to post photos with your comment

Just click on the Add Image button below the comments box and take or choose the photo you want to post - it will appear after approval by the moderator.

On 2016-11-07 by Loyd Oneal

I'm tried several ways, to send photos, of my flood damaged foundation, including your email. I guess all, of my attempts, have failed. Can u suggest a better way? Thank s, for your help. Loydp

I am so sorry, that I have,still, been able to upload photos, of the flood damage, to my home's foundation. It looks like I'm going, to have, to ask, for outside help. Please,bear w/me, I will get them up, soon. Thanks, LoydP

On 2016-10-10 by (mod) - cracked piers and pads under my home

We're glad to assist, Loyd. Indeed losses from flooding are rapidly increasing around the world, leading me to work further on providing more flood response and flood damage prevention material here at InspectApedia.com

You can use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send along photos for comment.

It sounds as if moisture if not water has indeed found its way up through your floor slab. Floor tiles coming loose are most likely due to that moisture.

In addition if heaving or settlement crack the slab, in the future water under the slab more-easily finds its way upwards into the flooring materials or into the living space.

A concern is possible mold contamination under wood subflooring or flooring - something I'd look at more carefully if you see buckling or cupping flooring. We've published examples of methods for making small test cuts into flooring when or if further exploration is needed.

If mold under floor becomes a concern my OPINION is that mold spore movement up through flooring is minimal when there are not visible cracks, gaps, or openings, but MVOCs from mold can still be a problem.

If your home is in an area likely to be subjected to future flooding I would hold off on costly repairs of existing damage until you've got some advice on preventing future flood damage, otherwise the initial fix-up costs may end up being wasted.

What people used to call "100 year flood events" and thus rationalize as "unlikely to occur again during my lifetime" is now a mistake: those events occur more and more often, sometimes just a few years apart.

On 2016-10-10 by Loyd O'Neal

H Thank you, very much, for your interest and knowledgeable opinion. Forgive me, for my slow follow-up,I've had to address much flood related damage, besides the foundation, and I wanted to send good photos, of the cracked piers and pads.

I hope I can figure out how to do that (I'm ,somewhat, technologically challenged) shortly! I downloaded the report, that you recommended, and find the last page interesting. The one showing, how a slab thrusts upwards, on it's edges, due to the heave-vertical load relationship.

Most, if not all, of my homes cracked piers and their pads, are on one side. And a couple, on it's adjacent, perpindicular wall. It is a outside wall, also.

Both walls show evidence,of buckling. My home's foundation was not perfectly level, prior, to flooding, but much worse, after water subsided. And, the wall buckling and floor board seperation appeared, after the flood. There were no cracked pads or piers, prior to flooding.

The photos will show the severity, of their damage, and what I estimate, to be, about 1"-1 1/2" of foundation shift, One of the photos, I will send, was taken, under the house, with a tape measure showing that the water reached less than 1" from underside, of floorboards(25" height).

I can't help thinking the floorboards got wet, because of the wicking effect and water agitation. Some stick down tiles, in the washroom, have been coming loose. This is ,absolutely, a new development, that we have,only recenly discovered. I hope, I have not prattled on, too much,so I will stop, now. I appreciate your patience, with me, and any ideas you may have. Thanks, again, Loyd ONeal

On 2016-09-29 by (mod) - LA flood damage question

Thank you for the LA flood damage question, Loyd.

The leaning (that is, out of plumb and out of level) pads and piers, particularly if you are sure they were level and sound before the S.C. La. flood, probably settled due to the erosion and settlement effects of the floodwaters on the soil below the piers.

Cracks might also result in floodwaters and movement of concrete slabs as well as piers, both from settlement and on occasion due to the effects of expansive clay soils. Flooding can cause heaving in expansive clays.

IF the piers were not reinforced with steel mesh or re-bar that would have made matters worse.

At Louisiana Tech Jay X. Wang has written

"Expansive soils and practice in foundation engineering" a paper delivered in Baton Rouge in the spring of 2016 http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/ltc_16/pdf/presentations/10-University%20Transportation%20Centers%20(Part%201)-Characterization%20of%20Expansive%20Soils%20in%20Northern%20Louisiana.pdf

that might be good for your insurance adjuster to have in hand.

You are welcome to use the page bottom or top CONTACT link to send along photos and we may be able to comment further, but essentially you need an opinion from an onsite expert.

On 2016-09-29 by Loyd O'Neal - flooding in S.C. LA led to foundation damage

I live in S.C. La., where we had great flood,resulting in 25" of standing (then receding) for 3-4days.

My house is wooden beam siting on 16" concrete piers on 4" concrete pads.

After water receded, the pads and piers are leaning (with some buckling of walls,etc) over, but with large cracks,in both piers and pads. Can these cracks be, as a result, of the floodwaters. They were not there, prior to flood, yet ins. adjuster says it's not possibly fault, of flooding. Has anyone had experience, or knowledge, of this? I can provide photos. Thanks

On 2015-02-06 by (mod) -

Sandy I'm a bit nervous about assessing risk for something I"ve not seen as there are often actual on-site factors that might significantly change one's opinion.

In general, however, if you drop a string line to get a true vertical line, and if a block foundation wall is bulged more than an inch measured against that string (measure wall top, bottom, and most-bulged point) then you need to bring in an experienced foundation repair person or a structural engineer who has foundation experience without long delay.

At this article

BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS

we show just how to make these foundation bulge measurements.

Whether or not you need to move out during repairs depends on the safety assessment of the home and the nature of the repair work.

On 2015-02-06 by sandy desjardins

if your basement foundation is bulging how long befor it becomes dangerous and do you have to move while repairs are being made has a mobile home on top

...

Continue reading at FOUNDATION DAMAGED, by FLOODING - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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