PIERING

Structures begin to move and sink when the soil that the footings set on becomes unstable. When long periods of dry soil conditions exist, the soil shrinks and compresses and this will allow footing to sink as this compression takes place. If the footings are able to sink far enough to crack then movement can take place in the structure constructed on this soil. In some cases the footing may have been poured in what is called “plastic soil” or soil that remains soft and can continue to move affecting the structure built above it. When the footings crack, segments of the structure can begin to move independency of the rest of the structure and these sections can begin to move and sink. As the sections begin to move they will also begin to lean out at the top resulting in wall cracks.