Thank you for visiting Rosie On The House, the online home to Arizona's longest running weekend radio broadcast!
[aws_search_form]

WHAT ARE “HEAVING” AND “SETTLING”?

Foundation problems can occur when your house “settles” or “heaves.”        

“Heaving” or “upheaval” happens when the concrete slab on which your house is built rises above the original foundation.

This usually happens when excess water gets under the foundation. The cause is often a sudden surge of moisture onto extremely dry clay soil. The water—from a monsoon rainstorm or a plumbing leak, for instance—causes the thirsty, shrunken soil to expand and push the foundation up.

“Settlement” happens when part of the foundation drops below the rest of it.

Soil under and around the perimeter of the house can become so dry during an Arizona drought that it causes cause the foundation to settle. Settlement is usually greatest near the perimeter of the foundation where the soil dries most quickly.

All houses “settle” a bit when they’re new. The products in the home will move a little bit until they stabilize. You may see tiny cracks in floor tiles or sheetrock. That’s normal and no cause for alarm.

Find Rosie-Certified Contractors in your area today

All contractors are Rosie-Certified for the state of Arizona.

Others Articles from Foundations & Settling

Explore Other Categories

DYI Categories Filter
Display More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Event Promotion Request

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.