https://www.sunnewsonline.com/how-flood-impacts-your-house-foundation-1/
Sun News
By Maduka Nweke
Flooding has become a recurring happening in Nigeria. It has had a devastating effect on buildings both public and private. Flood can wreck your house foundation and create unforeseen expenses for you. But one who is vigilant can notice the little by little effects of flooding and start on time to check it.
After flooding, it is advisable not to use a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside your home, basement, or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.
Flooding could be as a result of heavy rain. The simplest explanation for flooding is heavy rains. No matter where you live, you are surrounded by infrastructure and systems designed to move rainwater into appropriate basins and reservoirs. Aside rain water, river overflowing its banks could cause flooding. You do not necessarily need to have heavy rains to experience flooding in your area.
Broken dams could as well cause sudden flood. When heavy rains come, and water levels rise, aging dams can fail and unleash torrents of water on unsuspecting households. Urban drainage basins could also result in flooding. Many of our cities are made of mostly concrete and other impermeable material. When you have an urban drainage basin that is made of concrete, there is no ground for water to sink into. In that case, the house foundation will be burrowed by the force of moving water.
Flooding damages your foundation in two main ways; either from the force of fast moving water and from the water seeping in and causing or widening foundation cracks. Both kinds of damage weaken the structural integrity of your home and expose its interior to the elements in dangerous ways. The force of flood waters and debris pressing against your house can be enough to weaken the overall structure or even separate the walls from your foundation. Foundation pilings deep in the ground aren’t safe from rapid flood waters either. As the water rushes in, it can create instability that allows pilings to shift or even break.
Any movement of your home’s foundation puts the entire house at risk of collapse. If you see any of these signs, there’s a good chance your home has foundational damage and you will need a professional consultation to determine the extent of the damage and to review restoration options. Foundation damage after flooding is a serious concern for homeowners and one that should be addressed promptly to reduce risk of further damage to your home and danger to your family. Flooding can also create or exacerbate foundation cracks. Small cracks naturally form over…
