Frost Heave Can Lead to Foundation Failure

By:    |   Published December 6, 2022
limestone basement wall with a large crack | EverDry Toledo

Pothole season is coming, and while it may cause concern for your daily commute, it could also mean trouble for your home. The same freeze-thaw cycle that puts asphalt at risk can cause structural damage to your home’s foundation. Frost heaving – the term used for soil movement caused by the freeze-thaw cycle – can leave cracks in your basement walls and floor. If left unchecked, this problem could pave the way for water seepage.

What is Frost Heaving?

Frost heaving occurs when the soil freezes and thaws. When it freezes, the water contained in the soil expands, causing the soil to expand with it. The expanding soil tends to soak up even more water, and when thaw occurs, the soil shifts and moves, creating uneven pressure on your foundation. The result? An unstable foundation, cracks, and possibly a wet basement.

Most frost heaving occurs in areas with silty soil or soil with a high water capacity. Builders can compensate for these conditions by ensuring the base of a home’s foundation is well below the frost line (in houses with basements), adding drainage tile around the foundation, backfilling the area with porous materials such as gravel for optimum drainage, and properly grading the topsoil to direct water away from the house.

Telltale Signs of Frost-Heave Damage

The biggest clue of damage left by frost heaving is cracks. Often seen in older homes, frost heaving leaves a pattern of cracks around the support columns in a basement floor. You can see a good example of this here.

Another characteristic of frost-heave damage is horizontal cracks along the upper part of a basement wall where it meets the surrounding topsoil – the soil most affected by the freeze-thaw cycle.

Tips for Preventing Frost Heave

  • Replace the soil surrounding your foundation with more porous alternatives such as gravel and/or fill sand, which is a blend of sand, soil, and clay.
  • Add a drainage system at the base of a foundation, like a French drain, to drain the water away.
  • Dig top-level and subterranean reservoirs to redirect water away from your home’s foundation.
  • Insulate your home’s foundation to minimize heat loss between the foundation and the surrounding soil. When heat transfers to the surrounding soil through foundation walls, it enhances the freeze-thaw cycle.
  • Make sure your gutters are in good working order and drain rainwater at a sufficient distance (at least six to eight feet) away from your house.Pothole season is coming, and while it may cause concern for your daily commute, it could also mean trouble for your home. The same freeze-thaw cycle that puts asphalt at risk can cause structural damage to your home’s foundation. Frost heaving – the term used for soil movement caused by the freeze-thaw cycle – can leave cracks in your basement walls and floor. If left unchecked, this problem could pave the way for water seepage.

    What is Frost Heaving?

    Frost heaving occurs when the soil freezes and thaws. When it freezes, the water contained in the soil expands, causing the soil to expand with it. The expanding soil tends to soak up even more water, and when thaw occurs, the soil shifts and moves, creating uneven pressure on your foundation. The result? An unstable foundation, cracks, and possibly a wet basement.

    Most frost heaving occurs in areas with silty soil or soil with a high water capacity. Builders can compensate for these conditions by ensuring the base of a home’s foundation is well below the frost line (in houses with basements), adding drainage tile around the foundation, backfilling the area with porous materials such as gravel for optimum drainage, and properly grading the topsoil to direct water away from the house.

    Telltale Signs of Frost-Heave Damage

    The biggest clue of damage left by frost heaving is cracks. Often seen in older homes, frost heaving leaves a pattern of cracks around the support columns in a basement floor. You can see a good example of this here.

    Another characteristic of frost-heave damage is horizontal cracks along the upper part of a basement wall where it meets the surrounding topsoil – the soil most affected by the freeze-thaw cycle.

    What Type of Ground Experiences the Most Frost Heave?

    Since the cycle is based on freeze-thaw cycle of absorbed moisture, the reality is that the more absorbent and expansive your soil is, the more frost heave you will experience. The most susceptible ground to heaving are areas with peat or clay in the soil. Likewise, areas with higher water tables will have a harder time ditching the moisture, making frost heave put more pressure on your home.

    Problematic soils can cause frost heave dramatic enough to move smaller structures several inches or even a foot or two. Sidewalks can become heaved several inches and begin to suffer extensive damage after just a single rough winter.

    Tips for Preventing Frost Heave

    Replace Your Soil

    Because frost heave requires certain types of soils. The most likely soils to cause frost heave will be fine sand, clay, or silt. If your home has these types of soil around it, you could try replacing the soil with more porous alternatives. Gravel is a great option to avoid frost heave and add some stability to your foundation!

    Improve Your Drainage

    The number one source of moisture that leads to frost heave is poor drainage. Things like gutters can shift water away from your direct home structure, but they can only do so much. That moisture will eventually end up in your yard, where it will be absorbed where it can.

    Adding a French drain or similar drain system to your property is a key step towards fighting frost heave and other types of common water risks to your foundation. Prevention is a lot cheaper than repair – installing a French drain now could save you tens of thousands down the road!

    Dig Reservoirs

    You can help keep water away from the area surrounding your foundation by building top-level or subterranean reservoirs. These redirect water away, reducing the overall moisture in the ground around your foundation. When the freeze happens, it can reduce the overall pressure put against your foundation!

    Insulate Your Home’s Foundation

    Surprisingly, heat coming from your home can be a problem for frost heave woes. Because the primary force behind frost heave damage is a cycle of freezing and thawing, the heat close to your foundation can seep through and exacerbate the thawing side of the cycle. This means more thawing between the cold that often comes at night.

    Insulating your home’s foundation reduces the transfer of heat, reducing overall thawing to put an end to the cycle. This isn’t a primary solution, but combined with other options, it can positively impact your home’s defense against frost heaving!

    Gutter Repairs

    Lastly, don’t forget to keep your first line of defense in good working order. Gutters and their runoff bring moisture that would be around your home to somewhere safely away from the foundation. The more effective your gutters and their drains are, the less moisture there will be to initiate freezing and thawing in the ground around your home.

    Take the time to maintain your gutters. Clean them, keep them properly attached to your home, and consider evaluating if you need e

    Pothole season is coming, and while it may cause concern for your daily commute, it could also mean trouble for your home. The same freeze-thaw cycle that puts asphalt at risk can cause structural damage to your home’s foundation. Frost heaving – the term used for soil movement caused by the freeze-thaw cycle – can leave cracks in your basement walls and floor. If left unchecked, this problem could pave the way for water seepage.

    What is Frost Heaving?

    Frost heaving occurs when the soil freezes and thaws. When it freezes, the water contained in the soil expands, causing the soil to expand with it. The expanding soil tends to soak up even more water, and when thaw occurs, the soil shifts and moves, creating uneven pressure on your foundation. The result? An unstable foundation, cracks, and possibly a wet basement.

    Most frost heaving occurs in areas with silty soil or soil with a high water capacity. Builders can compensate for these conditions by ensuring the base of a home’s foundation is well below the frost line (in houses with basements), adding drainage tile around the foundation, backfilling the area with porous materials such as gravel for optimum drainage, and properly grading the topsoil to direct water away from the house.

    Telltale Signs of Frost-Heave Damage

    The biggest clue of damage left by frost heaving is cracks. Often seen in older homes, frost heaving leaves a pattern of cracks around the support columns in a basement floor. You can see a good example of this here.

    Another characteristic of frost-heave damage is horizontal cracks along the upper part of a basement wall where it meets the surrounding topsoil – the soil most affected by the freeze-thaw cycle.

    What Type of Ground Experiences the Most Frost Heave?

    Since the cycle is based on freeze-thaw cycle of absorbed moisture, the reality is that the more absorbent and expansive your soil is, the more frost heave you will experience. The most susceptible ground to heaving are areas with peat or clay in the soil. Likewise, areas with higher water tables will have a harder time ditching the moisture, making frost heave put more pressure on your home.

    Problematic soils can cause frost heave dramatic enough to move smaller structures several inches or even a foot or two. Sidewalks can become heaved several inches and begin to suffer extensive damage after just a single rough winter.

    Tips for Preventing Frost Heave

    Replace Your Soil

    Because frost heave requires certain types of soils. The most likely soils to cause frost heave will be fine sand, clay, or silt. If your home has these types of soil around it, you could try replacing the soil with more porous alternatives. Gravel is a great option to avoid frost heave and add some stability to your foundation!

    Improve Your Drainage

    The number one source of moisture that leads to frost heave is poor drainage around your home. Things like gutters can shift water away from your direct home structure, but they can only do so much. That moisture will eventually end up in your yard, where it will be absorbed where it can.

    Adding a French drain or similar drain system to your property is a key step towards fighting frost heave and other types of common water risks to your foundation. Prevention is a lot cheaper than repair – installing a French drain now could save you tens of thousands down the road!

    Dig Reservoirs

    You can help keep water away from the area surrounding your foundation by building top-level or subterranean reservoirs. These redirect water away, reducing the overall moisture in the ground around your foundation. When the freeze happens, it can reduce the overall pressure put against your foundation!

    Insulate Your Home’s Foundation

    Surprisingly, heat coming from your home can be a problem for frost heave woes. Because the primary force behind frost heave damage is a cycle of freezing and thawing, the heat close to your foundation can seep through and exacerbate the thawing side of the cycle. This means more thawing between the cold that often comes at night.

    Insulating your home’s foundation reduces the transfer of heat, reducing overall thawing to put an end to the cycle. This isn’t a primary solution, but combined with other options, it can positively impact your home’s defense against frost heaving!

    Gutter Repairs

    Lastly, don’t forget to keep your first line of defense in good working order. Gutters and their runoff bring moisture that would be around your home to somewhere safely away from the foundation. The more effective your gutters and their drains are, the less moisture there will be to initiate freezing and thawing in the ground around your home.

    Take the time to maintain your gutters. Clean them, keep them properly attached to your home, and consider evaluating if you need extensions or other upgrades to get that water as far from your foundation as possible!

    xtensions or other upgrades to get that water as far from your foundation as possible!

Foundation Repairs May Still Be Necessary

Following the above steps are preventative measures that can dramatically reduce the risk of foundation failure due to frost heaving. But even with these precautions, it’s not always possible to reduce the risk 100%.

If you see cracks in your foundation, suspect damage due to frost heaves, or experience a damp basement, contact us online to schedule an appointment or give us a call at (419) 841-6055. We offer a free 20-point basement inspection to any homeowner who wants to make sure their basement is safe, secure, and moisture free.

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