Foundation, crawl space and concrete leveling in Harrisburg, NC

Chewacla is a deep soil that formed from sediment laid down by streams, usually found on stream flood plains. Its top layer is loam, and under that is dark yellowish brown clay loam. Loam is soil with a mix of sand, silt and clay. It stays wet near the surface for part of the year.

Enon is a deep soil that formed in place as darker rock rich in iron and magnesium beneath it weathered, usually found on ridges and hillsides. Its top layer is fine sandy loam, and under that is yellowish brown clay. It drains well, and the USDA rates it high for swelling and shrinking, which means it swells a lot when it gets wet and shrinks a lot as it dries.

What It Means for Your Home

• FoundationsClay in this ground can push on a foundation in wet months and pull back in dry ones, and over time that can crack walls and let part of a house settle. Look for doors and windows that stick, and cracks in drywall. See foundation repair.
• Crawl spacesClay stays damp after long rains and adds moisture to the air under a house, which can lead to musty odors, mold and wood rot over time. Look for moisture in the crawl space and sagging floors. See crawl space repair and crawl space encapsulation.
• Floor framingWhen the ground under the piers shifts, the beams and joists above can move out of level, and damp air can soften the wood. Look for rotted floor joists, and broken or cracked joists. See framing repair.
• ConcreteClay that swells and shrinks can lift and drop driveways, walks and patios unevenly. Look for raised slab edges you can trip on and a cracked garage floor. See concrete leveling.