Why is My House Sinking?

It can be alarming when you begin to notice your house leaning to one side. Usually, the culprit here is subsidence. However, there are several other signs of subsidence that will present themselves long before the leaning stage starts. But if you’ve just purchased your house without having a survey done or if you’ve simply not picked up on the already-present subsidence indicators, then it might be obvious should the property actually be leaning or sinking on one side. In this article, we’ll be explaining why your house is sinking, what causes it, what the signs are and how you can fix it effectively.

Why is my house sinking? Subsidence: explained

Subsidence occurs when the ground beneath the foundations shifts or sinks. As the ground moves, so will the foundations of the building. In turn, the property itself will begin to shift, causing serious structural issues. Subsidence can affect most houses, but it’s most common on detached and semi-detached homes. Your house is likely sinking because the foundations of your home are subsiding. However, you shouldn’t be alarmed. There are ways of fixing and preventing subsidence. While we’ll talk about how to fix subsidence, here’s how you can prevent it from happening at all:

• Remove large trees, bushes or shrubs that are planted close to the property
• Fix leaking drains and gutters
• Repair cracked driveways or patios 
• Make sure water flows away from your home and not towards it 

What causes subsidence?

Subsidence is a serious structural problem, but it can worsen the longer it’s left without a solution or immediate fix. But what causes subsidence? From leaking drain pipes to tree roots, here are some ways in which subsidence can be triggered:

• Tree roots – roots will extract moisture from the ground, therefore causing the soil to shrink. The foundations and the structure that sits on top will move along with it, thus causing it to sink 
• Soil type – clay soil is a common cause of subsidence, for much the same reason as tree roots. Clay soil will expand during wet weather, but it will contract and shrink during dry spells, therefore causing movement
• Climate change/weather patterns – this can affect the soil that your foundations sit on top of, as previously discussed. The wetter it is, the more expanded the soil becomes. But the dryer it is, the more the soil will shrink
• Leaking drains – drain pipes or gutters that leak will allow water to seep into the ground below your building’s foundations. This, along with tree roots and changing weather patterns, causes the soil to expand and contract as the temperature differs
• Mining – houses or structures that are built on old mines are more at risk of subsidence. This is because some considerable gaps and voids could give way at any time

What are the signs of subsidence?

Now that you’re aware of what causes subsidence in the first place, you might be wondering whether your property is subsiding. Some of the causes might apply to your home, such as foundations being built on clay soil. Here are a few signs of subsidence that you should be looking for:

• Cracks in walls, floors & ceilings – these cracks can appear both internally and externally and are usually around 3mm in width. They also typically run in a zig-zag pattern, following the mortar line along the brickwork
• Ripples in wallpaper – as the walls and ceilings move, it will cause the wallpaper to ripple as it moves along with it. Keep an eye out for wallpaper not sitting right, especially around the skirting boards and along the ceiling
• Doors & windows becoming jammed or that can’t be closed – doors and windows that are either jammed shut or that cannot be closed could be a sign of subsidence. Also, look for cracks around the windows and doors, both internally and externally
• The extension is coming away from the rest of the house – if you have an extension, such as a conservatory, and you notice it’s coming away from the main property, then subsidence could be at play here
• The property is noticeably leaning to one side – if you can see that the property is leaning to one side, then this is a sure sign that subsidence is the culprit. Noticeable leaning indicates a more severe case

How to rectify subsidence: the geopolymer resin injection underpinning method

If you’re not sure whether or ot subsidence is occurring, then the first thing you need to do is bring in a dedicated subsidence firm, such as us here at Geobear. We have a team of dedicated professionals who carry out a specialist survey and investigation. We will meticulously inspect your property and then report on our findings. This will either confirm or deny issues of subsidence.

If it‘s found that subsidence is at play, then we will offer you a quick and innovative subsidence solution – the geopolymer resin injection underpinning method. This is a stand-out subsidence solution that rivals traditional methods. It’s non-disruptive and completely mess-free. This underpinning service involves injecting the affected ground with a resin that runs along gaps and voids underground, expanding as it goes. 

Once hardened, it restores long-lasting strength and stability to the ground and the building’s foundations as a result. If you’re looking to rectify subsidence in a way that is clean, effective and timely, then look to Geobear’s geopolymer resin injection underpinning method to get the job done. 

Geobear is on hand to deliver innovative subsidence solutions that will stand the test of time. Whether you have a domestic or commercial property that is subsiding, we will be on hand to offer underpinning services that will restore strength and durability to the foundations. If you would like further information about our underpinning services available, get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.