The foundation is one of the most critical structural components whose overall condition can greatly affect the lifespan of a house. Although our home’s foundations are buried in the ground, weather changes characterized by heavy rains followed by droughts can take a toll on them, especially if they’re neglected. In addition to the fact that a foundation should be built with high-quality materials, inspecting and maintaining it on a regular basis is the only way to keep both your foundation and home in tip-top shape and extend their lifespan. To avoid any structural issues that could ruin your home and cost you a small fortune to fix, here are a few fatal foundation mistakes you should be aware of.

With so many Houston homes facing a higher risk of flooding than expected, flood control strategies have become more important than ever before. While most properties require different measures to keep floodwaters at bay, home elevation is the surest way to minimize damage to your home and keep your family safe when a flood affects your area. If your home was damaged during a flood, choosing the right elevation solution for your property is extremely important in order to make the most of your investment.

Many homeowners never think about their homes’ foundations. However, most of them start to worry when they see any signs of potential foundation issues. Because the cost of foundation repairs can run into thousands of dollars—even more, if the problems affect different structural components of the home—knowing how to spot foundation issues before they turn into serious problems can help you prevent costly repairs. To help, our specialists have put together a list of common warning signs you could use to identify foundation damage early.

Regardless of where your home is located, assessing the risk of flooding in your area allows you to better protect your property from the dangers and damage of potential flood events. While numerous cities are currently at risk for flooding and water damage across the country, certain zones are more likely to be affected by flood than others. Commonly referred to as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), high-risk flood areas have at least a 1% annual chance of flooding. A good way to figure out if you live in a SFHA is to check the FEMA flood maps, which shows the flood risk for each community. 

In general, DIY home improvement projects allow us to save a lot of money and gain some experience fixing different things around our homes. However, a DIY approach isn’t the best option when it comes to home elevation. That’s because lifting a house involves a series of techniques and steps that only a certified and experienced contractor knows how to perform. In order to understand why you should never attempt to jack up your own home, let’s take a look at what’s involved in the elevation process.

If you’ve just discovered one or more cracks in your newly built home, how worried should you be about them? Well, it depends. While many homeowners believe that cracks shouldn’t appear in new homes, the opposite is usually true.

A chimney that’s leaning away from a home can be very dangerous. Besides the fact that loose bricks could fall and injure people and pets or cause property damage, a tilting chimney could be a sign of other foundation problems that may require immediate attention.

PEX piping is made of polyethylene whose molecules are chemically or mechanically linked together for superior flexibility and resistance to mechanical stresses. Because PEX is also resistant to the chemicals and compounds in the water, it’s approved for use in plumbing systems in all 50 states, including Texas. 

For many decades, copper has been the material of choice for commercial and residential plumbing systems. Although specific characteristics, including heat and high-pressure resistance, still recommend copper for home plumbing, this material can fail sooner than expected due to a wide variety of factors. Additionally, copper is more expensive than other plumbing materials, which are increasingly being used as viable alternatives to traditional materials.

Water leaks can be a big problem for a homeowner. While a tiny leak in a pipe is quite easy to fix, more serious issues may require a complete repipe. If you’ve experienced different plumbing problems, such as frequent leaks in different areas of your home, pipe failure due to rust, low water pressure, discolored water, strange noises coming from pipes, and/or water that tastes or smells bad, you may need to repipe your home.