It’s been cold outside and your home is showing some concerning signs that make you think *foundation problem* – but is it a real issue or are you just being paranoid? Does winter affect slab foundations? Should you be more worried about foundation issues developing in freezing temperatures?
Yes or No, circle one. If only it were that simple.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we have endured many a Central Texas winter over the last 40+ years. We have seen all the ways that homeowners stress about frigid temps and cold weather affecting their homes and can fill you in on the common concerns.
In this article, we will discuss whether winter weather affects foundations and how. We review the top signs of foundation issues and common concerns that tend to pop up in the colder months.
*Please Note* This article is talking about slab foundation types specifically in the Central Texas and local Brazos Valley area. Answers would be different in other areas of the country or with other types of foundations.
Do I Need to Be Concerned About My Slab Foundation In Winter?
Should you be worried about your foundation this winter? In general, NO. There’s no need to feel more concerned about your home’s foundation during winter compared to any other time. One of the nice benefits of slab-on-grade foundations is that they are low-maintenance and not easily affected by our mild Central Texas winters.
If anything, winter through spring tends to be a rainy season. Higher moisture levels mean seasonal rebounding, which lifts homes from settled states caused by drier seasons. Your home should theoretically be more supported by the hydrated and expanded clay soils at this time.
What Are the Signs That Winter is Affecting My Slab?
Honestly, the signs of foundation issues are the same no matter what the season. The signs of foundation settlement or problems don’t depend on the outside temperature at all. In other words, winter will have nothing to do with whether or not you’ve got foundation problems.
Here are the most reliable indicators of foundation issues:
- Diagonal cracks in drywall,
- Door fit, lock, and latch issues,
- Trim separations,
- Gaps on the sides of windows,
- Stair-step brick cracks, and
- Cabinetry or built-ins separating from walls.
*Hot Tip* The telltale signs of foundation settlement typically show up on vertical surfaces rather than horizontal ones. So inspect your interior and exterior walls and the things attached to them to identify foundation movement or settlement activity.
The only way that winter might make a difference in these signs is in degrees of difference. I’m not talking about temperature degrees, it’s more like whether cracks are open or closed and how much. Another example would be how much a door is misaligned or how large a gap or separation is in winter compared to other times of the year.
These things change somewhat from winter to summer due to temperature and rainfall levels, due to seasonal settlement and rebounding cycles. Additionally, the difference between the outside temps and inside temps causes expansion and contraction of framing materials, which may highlight issues that don’t stand out at other times.
Misleading Winter Signs That Are Not Foundation-Related
We get calls from homeowners every winter about worrisome home signs that they think are foundation-related problems. People often call us with alarm over a few common issues and it tends to be a *false alarm* not caused by your foundation.
Here are some things that homeowners call us about during cold months that are NOT foundation issues, but are caused by something else winter-related:
- Tented, popped, or crunching floor tiles,
- Peeling, stressed, or separated tape joints in drywall, and
- Drainage issues.
Keep in mind that I am not saying you don’t occasionally see these kinds of issues in homes with foundation problems. You certainly can. However, if one of these is your only worrisome issue that just occurred suddenly this winter, it likely has another more plausible cause than foundation settlement. Don’t worry, we’ll explain why these are not foundation-related next.
Tented, Popped, or Crunching Floor Tiles
We sometimes get calls about floor tiles that have popped up or it looks like someone pitched a little tent on your floors with two tiles resting against each other raised up from the floor. Alternatively, the tiles might not be coming up, but simply make a crunching sound when you walk on them.
Tented, popping, or crunching tile is not a typical indicator for foundation issues, but it is an indicator of some really cold concrete causing the tile underlayment or adhesive to fail and come away from the concrete slab surface.
We have a video of when this happened last year to a vacant home that was for sale with no heat running. It got so cold in the house that the material holding the tiles in place contracted and buckled. It caused tented tiles, popped tiles, and crunching and affected a large part of the kitchen floor.
This is a flooring issue caused by poor workmanship and unfortunately, the only way to fix it is to lay new tile. When tiles are properly prepped with the right material applied the right way *should* prevent tile tenting from happening.
But hey, the good news is that it’s only a flooring issue and not an expensive foundation problem.
Peeling, Stressed, or Separated Tape Joints in Drywall
We already talked about how homes can move due to temperature, rainfall, and seasonal settlement cycles. And how those winter temperature differentials between the inside and outside also cause the wood framing to expand and contract, making some issues more noticeable.
On top of that, people are cranking their heaters up, drying everything out, and applying extra hot, dry air inside their homes, especially ceiling areas. You may recall from early science classes that hot air rises and cool air sinks.
You don’t even realize how hot it gets near your ceiling compared to the floor and around your body. You might feel like it’s drafty and chilly, but I assure you that your ceiling is *very* toasty if you are running the heat non-stop.
Tape joints in your drywall dry out or get stressed by the wood framing contraction and movement but also due to all the higher than normal temps inside your home. You might notice a few spots around your walls or more likely the ceiling that seem to look worse. It can also happen in garages where the cold and damp affect things instead.
This is especially true in older homes that have had the same tape joints and materials on their walls for decades since the time of construction. This is an age-of-home plus temperature extreme issue and is not likely to be foundation-related if it’s the only problem you are having.
The appearance of these tape joints should improve somewhat when the weather warms up and you’re not turning that thermostat dial so high, or it could simply be time to caulk or redo your drywall and/or tape joints and repaint.
Drainage Issues
During the winter here in Central Texas, we are told to drip our faucets to keep pipes from freezing. We also might get some extra precipitation or on occasion some melting ice or snow. All of these extra water sources combined can result in excess water ponding around your home for a few days or weeks.
If you already have a drainage issue, it might seem worse right now due to dripping faucets and such. The water hanging around near your home can also cause our expansive clay soils to expand and for your foundation to heave or move slightly upward. This can cause a few signs of movement or temporary misalignment in your home.
While none of these short-term water situations are immediate foundation issues, they can become long-term problems in the future if the drainage issues are not addressed. Take steps to handle drainage around your home when the weather gets warmer to prevent bigger foundation concerns.
What Can I Do To Keep My Foundation Safe In Winter?
Now that you know what *winter stuff* to be concerned about or not and what to watch for with foundation settlement, how can you keep your foundation the safest? Well, preventative foundation maintenance is your best bet. Not that maintenance will prevent everything, but it’s worth it to try. After all, it’s the home you love and you want to do whatever it takes to take care of it, right?
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we don’t fix things that don’t need fixin’, and we don’t try to tell you that you’ve got a foundation problem when you don’t. After 40+ years in business, that’s what’s best for our Brazos Valley community and for exceptional homeowners like you. We’re here to help guide you through your foundation concerns, but you’re the one in charge.
You can take charge of your home foundation’s future with a little TLC throughout the year. Check out The Best Maintenance Checklist to Care for Your Slab Foundation for our best recommendations and wisdom.
