Foundation, crawl space and concrete leveling in Hickory, NC

Clifford is a deep soil that formed in place as pale rock such as granite and gneiss beneath it weathered, usually found on ridges and hillsides. Its top layer is fine sandy loam, and under that is red clay. Loam is soil with a mix of sand, silt and clay. It drains well, and the USDA rates it low for swelling and shrinking, which means it changes size very little as it gets wet and dries out.

What It Means for Your Home

• What works in your favorClifford drains well, so the soil beside a foundation usually dries out after a storm. It also changes size very little as it wets and dries, so the ground under the footings stays steady from season to season.
• FoundationsWater that collects against a foundation can keep the clay there soft, and soft clay can let a footing settle. Look for gaps around windows and doors, and uneven floors. See foundation repair.
• Crawl spacesEven soil that drains well can stay wet where roof runoff collects, and the ground still 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 framingDamp air under a house can rot and weaken joists and beams over time, which can show up as sagging or bouncy floors. Look for sagging floor joists and rotted floor joists. See framing repair.
• ConcreteSoftened clay where runoff collects can let part of a slab sink. Look for raised slab edges you can trip on and a cracked garage floor. See concrete leveling.