Signs
Water pooling next to the house
Water that sits against a house is less a sign of foundation damage than a cause of it. It is also the one item on this list that a homeowner can often correct before any damage is done.
Walk round the house after rain
- Puddles still standing within a few feet of the wall a day after the rain stopped.
- Downspouts that end at the wall, or splash blocks that have turned to face the house.
- Gutters overflowing at the middle of a run because they are blocked or sagging.
- Flower beds with solid edging that holds water against the slab like a bathtub.
- Soil or mulch piled so high that the top of the slab is buried.
- A channel or hollow worn into the ground beside the foundation, or soil washed out from under its edge.
- A patio, walk or driveway that tilts toward the house.
Why it matters differently across town
On clay
Wet in one place, dry in another
Clay swells where it is wet. One soaked corner beside an otherwise dry slab pushes that corner up, or softens the soil so the corner sinks under load. The harm comes from the unevenness more than from the water itself.
On rock and thin soil
Runoff with nowhere to soak in
Rain crosses shallow soil over limestone quickly and collects against whatever stands in its path, typically the uphill wall of a house on a sloping lot. It can wash fill out from under the edge of a pad.
The ground on each side of the escarpment is described in why foundations move here.
Who handles what
- Gutters and downspouts
- A gutter installer, or you with a ladder: clear them, re-hang sagging runs and add extensions that carry water several feet from the wall.
- Grading and yard drains
- A landscape or drainage contractor reshapes the soil to fall away from the house and can add swales, surface drains or buried pipe.
- A leaking pipe
- A plumber. Water that appears in dry weather, or a meter that turns with every tap shut, points to plumbing.
- Water coming into a below-ground room
- That is waterproofing, a trade of its own with its own specialists. The number on this page is not the right one for it.
- Movement in the house itself
- A foundation repair company, if the standing water comes with cracks, sticking doors or a sloping floor on that side.
How drainage fits into a foundation repair
A foundation inspector notes the slope of the ground, the downspouts and any erosion as part of the visit. If poor drainage is feeding the movement, a responsible proposal says so and puts the drainage correction before or alongside any piers. Piers installed beside a standing puddle are being asked to do two jobs.
If the lot lies in a mapped floodplain, tell the company. The City of New Braunfels asks for a floodplain application with permits for properties in the floodplain, as noted on its residential remodel checklist.
Questions about drainage
Does water next to the slab mean the foundation is damaged?
No. It means conditions are right for trouble. If the walls, doors and floors on that side show nothing, correct the drainage and keep watching.
How far should downspouts discharge from the house?
Far enough that the water keeps running away instead of soaking in beside the slab: several feet, onto ground that slopes away. Where there is no room, a buried pipe to a lower part of the yard does the same job.
When you are ready
Pages can narrow it down. A level and a floor plan settle it.
Whichever side of the escarpment your house stands on, the answer comes from numbers taken on the spot. The firm that makes the visit then sets down on paper what it measured and what a repair would run to.
Sudden shifting, the smell of gas, or a wall that seems about to come down is a different matter: clear the house first, then dial 911 or your gas provider.
Have your New Braunfels house measured
Ring the number and describe the crack, door or floor that worries you. Whoever answers works for a foundation repair firm near New Braunfels, a separate and independent business, and can book a day to inspect.
Call (830) 879-9995Your call may be recorded. The referral disclosure explains who is paid.