If you have ever seen a house being built, you will notice that they build the foundation first before anything else. That is because it is what carries the whole weight of the house. So if you think that your foundation is old and damaged, you better get professionals like foundation repair Lake Charles to fix it immediately.

But assessing your foundation means you would need to have some background knowledge first. Lucky for you, this article is here to help.

What are The Types of Foundations?

Every house is built on a foundation, but not all foundations are the same. Foundations can vary depending on the design of your house, location and climate, soil, and your budget. But for most, the typical choice for a foundation will either be concrete slab-on-grade, full or daylight basement and crawlspace. 

Full or Daylight Basement Foundation

A basement will have its structural foundation walls bearing on the footings and running along the basement’s perimeter. The footing will typically pass the frost line or the depth where the ground freezes during winter, making the basement foundation the deepest type of foundation among the three.

A basement foundation can be classified into two types, full and daylight. 

Full Basement 

Just from the name itself, a full basement is a basement that matches the whole perimeter of your house. So, if your house has a 900 square feet ground floor, a full basement will have the same square footage – more or less. You can either use that extra space to have other living quarters in your house or storage for your equipment. 

Daylight Basement 

This type of basement is a variation of the full basement and is sometimes called a partial basement. It is usually built against a slope, resulting in one side being completely covered with soil while the opposite being exposed. People will typically put a window on the exposed side or even a door, hence the daylight part of the name.

That is why people often prefer daylight basements over full basements when it comes  to another living space. Plus, you can get someone to rent it if it has a separate entrance.

Crawlspace Foundation

If you have a crawlspace type of foundation, it will consist of foundation walls standing on footings. The wall can be very short, at which you’ll have to crawl through the accessible space or be about 4 feet tall, enough for storage space for your equipment. They will typically be unheated and are ventilated with a small opening like a vent to promote airflow. 

Crawlspace foundations are far less expensive than full basement because they require lesser foundation walls, labor and excavation. Therefore, they are mostly used in regions where frost lines are not that deep.

Concrete Slab-On-Grade-Foundation

This type of foundation is just a slab of solid concrete that is resting on the ground. They are mostly used in warmer climates that do not experience ground freezing because they can crack on these conditions, shifting the foundation.

As you can imagine, they are the cheapest type of foundation among the three typical foundation types. They are also more resistant to termites, which are common in warmer regions.

But one problem that you may encounter is that if a pipe or drainage system leaks, you will have to cut open the concrete slab. 

How to Tell If You Have Foundation Issues?

There are key symptoms that you need to look out for when you are determining the integrity of your foundation, like:

• Sheetrock or exterior bricks cracking
• Difficulty in opening or closing doors and windows which are not caused by the weather
• Walls and ceilings slagging or sloping
• Corners beginning to have cracks or gaps or wood and materials decaying

So if you are experiencing these symptoms, then it’s best to call in the experts to get it properly assessed and repaired.

Conclusion

Your foundation is the most important part of your house. Without it, your house will not be able to stand in the first place. So, if you think that it has a problem, get it examined by professionals like foundation repair Lake Charles immediately. With the pandemic still happening, the last thing you need is an accident that you could have easily avoided.