Rubble Foundation
Many area homes were constructed near the 1800s with stone foundations.
A stone foundation is a basement wall that has been constructed out of rock-sized pieces of limestone, or other types of stone, which have been cemented together. Typically, they have dirt floors, although previous homeowners may have paved the floors over the centuries. Many homes built before World War One have this type of foundation. You’ll also find this type of foundation in rural homes and houses that may have been used as summer getaways or cottages.
The original intent of this type of basement was to hold the house’s mechanical system and prevent your home from shifting due to frost heaving. Originally a stone foundation was a spot where you could plant your furnace, as well as plumbing pipes, electrical wires and a water heater.
The original builders may have accounted for leakage or a small amount of flooding by putting your furnace on a raised concrete slab. Rarely will you find any weeping tile outside the foundation, making the basement further prone to leakage.
Crumbling Mortar & Loose Stones Repair
A stone foundation wall was a solution that worked a century ago.
However, today’s homeowners want to use their basement for living spaces such as laundry rooms, dens, or bedrooms, which is impossible with stone foundation walls that haven’t been properly treated. Stone foundations that are not properly sealed leave homeowners more vulnerable to flooding that could cause substantial homeowner expenses.
Stone Foundation Problems
Even small leaks can cause costly damage to your carpets, electronic devices, drywall and furniture.
Calling Conterra Foundation & Repair to seal your stone foundation properly will give you peace of mind that next spring’s thaw or a two-day storm will not create major flooding through the cracks in your stone foundation walls.
Even if you are not planning to use your basement recreationally and don’t mind the leakage associated with a stone foundation, an untreated stone foundation will cause moisture such as mould or rotting.
You don’t want moisture getting into your joists or support beams as this could cause structural problems that could cause your home to collapse. Other issues associated with stone foundation moisture include damage to your furnace’s circuit board, which reduces its longevity.
Stone Foundation Repair
When repairing stone foundations, crumbling mortar and loose stones lead to cracks, leakage and exposed areas.
Existing loose mortar may need to be removed and replaced with a new coat of lime mortar. For the best foundation repair options for your stone foundation wall, it’s best to consult a foundation repair expert.
Replacing Stone Foundations
Conterra Foundation and Repair has several options for stone foundations depending on your budget and your unique situation.
With stone foundation issues, we first examine if you have weeping tiles, take into account foundation repair, or we might recommend foundation replacement.
If you have a house with a stone foundation or are thinking of purchasing a home with one, it is well worth your time to contact Conterra Foundation and Repair to get a quote on the work we can do and its estimated cost.
Replacing stone foundation walls is not a DIY project, as the structural integrity of your entire home depends on sturdy walls. Conterra Foundation and Repair offers exceptional and solid work at a fair price when it comes to stone foundations.
