House Shifting and Plumbing Problems

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House shifting and the plumbing problems under the slab that go with that are common in Waxahachie. Homes in our area are prone to soil and slab shifting & that means plumbing problems. Homes built in Midlothian & Waxahachie as well as surrounding Ellis County are predominantly slab foundation homes. If you live in an older historic home, you may have a pier and beam foundation. Some slab foundations have what is called “post-tension” foundation. A post tension slab is a concrete slab that has steel cables running through it that have been placed under 33,000 +/- pounds of tension. This tension makes the concrete slab and foundation much stronger than concrete without reinforcement and helps reduce cracking. Sewer and water line repair on a post tension foundation requires skill and expertise.

Texas Soil & Climate Cause Plumbing Problems

The climate in and around Midlothian & Waxahachie Texas goes to extremes. We see really hot and we can see really cold temperatures. Soil around Midlothian and Waxahachie is comprised of mostly clay. Clay reacts to the heat just as much as it reacts to the cold. When it’s cold, clay expands. When it’s hot, it shrinks. Tale-tale signs can be floors shifting, creating gaps. Doors may also drag. All this moving over time causes issues. This same phenomenon causes pressure on your foundation, whether pear and beam or slab. House shifting and plumbing problems under the slab caused by this movement can put pressure on your foundation as well as your plumbing systems. This is when you want to call the best plumber who has experience with these issues.

Slab Foundation and Plumbing Problems

The frost depth in Waxahachie can be pretty shallow. Consequently, home builders go the most cost-effective route and pour concrete on the ground with rebar reinforcements. This type of foundation is susceptible when concrete starts settling and the drainage and sewer pipes are exposed to pressure. Over time, your drain and waste pipes start to bend and move, causing weakness at the joints & plumbing connections. You may notice problems with your sewer line as bellies form. Bellies are areas where the sewer pipes dip and slow the flow of your sewer system. If your builder failed to properly slope the sewer line, you have added problems with your sewer line. Remember the old saying about things that flow downhill? Well if that’s sloping up, you have a plumbing problem which usually manifests as slow drains, sewer back ups and sewer issues.

Shift Happens!

Moisture happens. Shift happens! When you have a leak or drainage issues on top of rain & moisture, you will have shift no matter what type of foundation you have. Moisture is a big issue when it comes to your foundation. If you have plumbing leaks, take care of them immediately to avoid further damage to your foundation. As water pools & sits, everything supporting the foundation in that area is effected, including the joints & joists. This causes damage to your home as one side settles more and plumbing issues can go from bad to worse as additional shift happens. Couple this with tree roots that can damage structural components and penetrate your plumbing not only do you have shifting foundation issues but major plumbing problems. Shifting foundations and plumbing problems go hand in hand.

Duncan Plumbing Solutions serves Midlothian, Texas and Waxahachie Texas and all of Ellis county. Voted Best Plumber Ellis County 3 years straight and the NextDoor favorite, we can help you with any plumbing problem. We specialize in sewer re-routes, tunnel jobs under your home and slab leaks & slab leak repair. We are the trusted source for tunnel jobs that go under your home’s foundation, with an A+ rating from the BBB. We have experience with repiping homes with post-tension slabs & traditional slab foundations. For the best plumber near me, contact Duncan Plumbing today!

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