Subsidence can be caused by a number of different issues, and can in turn cause a range of issues for your home! If you’re interested in the causes and consequences of subsidence, check out our brief guide below!
The Causes of Subsidence
Water Erosion
One primary cause of subsidence comes from rainfall, flooding, or excessive groundwater. Large volumes of water running through the ground under your property can wash away the soil and leave the structure with uneven support. Even burst water pipes can cause subsidence if left unnoticed!
Clay Soil
Soil with a high clay content tends to be subject to lots of shifting as it expands and contracts extensively through the wetter and drier months. Through autumn and winter the clay will absorb rainfall and expand, only to dry out and shrink back by summer. These conditions can play havoc on unprepared foundations!
Vegetation
Excess vegetation in the earth below your home can weaken the soil and open up gaps to allow water to flow underneath. Large plants and trees can also cause major issues as their roots burrow under the structure, shifting soil and weaking the foundations.
The Consequences of Subsidence
Subsidence can have some severe impacts on the safety and aesthetics of your property:
Sinking
With severe subsidence due to unstable foundations, your home may begin to sink! The slow pace usually means sinking can be left unnoticed for a while, and owners often aren’t instilled with urgency to fix it, believing it can’t cause too many issues.
Warping
If your foundations are uneven and sinking occurs on only one part of the building, warping is common. Warping is where walls, beams, doorframes, and other structures around your home have become bent or twisted due to the uneven sinking of the property.
Cracking
Cracking is what happens when you have uneven sinking due to subsidence and your structure is too rigid to warp. As part of your building sinks and the rest remains static, cracks will appear in walls, ceilings, floors, and door and window frames, and they refuse to bend with the structure.
Subsidence can be brought on by a range of sources and can be difficult to spot at first! But left untreated, subsidence can cause a huge range of issues that can cause your home to become unsafe or can lower its value for when you wish to place it on the market. Protect yourself and your home from subsidence with the best piling Manchester has to offer! Get in touch with Rhino Piling today.
