The property managers of this mid 90’s Tempe warehouse building reached out to us after symptoms of a potential foundation problem were discovered.
These included:
- Interior & Exterior Wall Cracks
- Floor Cracks
- Floors out of Level
A through foundation inspection concluded the commercial property to be experiencing both foundation settlement and foundation heave. Addressing foundation settlement often requires foundation underpinning.
Addressing heave can be a bit trickier. This phenomenon usually occurs in areas where structures are built on expansive clays. Moisture from one or any combination of sources – including: storm runoff, poor drainage around the foundation, plumbing leaks and underground moisture sources - will allow the moisture to accumulate underneath the foundation. This moisture then interacts with the clay soils, causing them to swell or heave. The clay soils take the path of least resistance and expand upwards, lifting the foundation. The area where the heave is located needs to be dealt with by eliminating the sources of moisture and addressing the existing moisture. This should stop the heave pattern from rising further and in some areas allow the existing heave to subside.
