Foundation, crawl space and concrete leveling in Greenville, NC

Rains is a deep soil that formed from old marine and river deposits of the Coastal Plain, usually found on low, flat ground. Its top layer is sandy loam, and under that is gray sandy clay loam. Loam is soil with a mix of sand, silt and clay. It stays wet for long periods, often with water close to the surface. The USDA rates it low for swelling and shrinking, which means it changes size very little as it gets wet and dries out.

Exum is a deep soil that formed from old marine deposits of the Coastal Plain. Its top layer is fine sandy loam, and under that is light yellowish brown loam. It drains a little slowly, so it can stay wet for short periods in a wet season.

What It Means for Your Home

• What works in your favorRains changes size very little as it wets and dries, so the ground under the footings stays steady from season to season.
• FoundationsSoil that stays wet can stay soft under a footing, and water moving through sand can carry soil out from under it. Look for uneven floors and a settling foundation. See foundation repair.
• Crawl spacesWater close to the surface can mean standing water and damp air in a crawl space for much of the year. Look for groundwater seeping into the crawl space and moisture in the crawl space. See crawl space repair and crawl space encapsulation.
• Floor framingWater close to the surface keeps the air under a house humid, and joists and beams that stay damp can rot and weaken. Look for rotted floor joists, and broken or cracked joists. See framing repair.
• ConcreteSlabs on ground that stays wet can settle unevenly, and water running under a slab can wash sand out from beneath it. Look for broken or sunken sidewalks, and a cracked driveway. See concrete leveling.