Home Foundations Shift in Extreme Heat

Most people think that the cold weather is the worst cause of foundation issues. Did you know the extreme temperatures of the heat can cause a lot of issues too? Beware. The heat wave of 2011, in Texas, caused home foundations to shift causing a lot of damage to homes throughout the T-state. The first signs of it were the cracks in their foundation, drywall, and on the exterior bricks of their home. Later, it moved to cracks in the tile on the walls and the tile flooring boasting speed bumps in the middle of the floor.

 Not fun!

Home foundations need to be inspected during this dry, hot season. However, before calling for an inspection, or even just a consultation, be on the lookout for interior doors that stick, cracks on the inside walls of the home, and gaps beside the windows. It is said that any issues with the foundations can lead to problems with the plumbing and roofing as well. It is best to be on alert as these issues can cost hundreds and thousands of dollars to repair. If they can be avoided it is the best.

Home foundations in Kansas City, are being seduced this year by the hot summer heat. Keep a lookout for the things described above that show signs of stress on your foundation or a shift in gravity and location. If there are issue with home foundations in Kansas City, we want to be available to answer any questions and get your foundation evaluated right away. If there is any question that your foundation is suffering from heat, then we want to get out to your home and get it evaluated. Remember, waiting causes more issues that can rack up a much larger expense.
For home foundations in Kansas City, we are your crew. We make local our focal point.

Check us out at cpsfoundationrepair.com.

How do you avoid a damp basement?

Avoiding a damp basement is the key to saving money. We all would rather buy Christmas gifts for our kids, rather than fork out $5,000-$10,000 on fixing our home foundation. Though it will have to be done at some point as a house ages, it is good to prolong that venture so that you can set money aside for that event and enjoy some down time. Do I have an Amen? Yes and Amen!
So, if avoiding a damp basement is the key to protecting our basement and foundation against rot, then what steps do we need to follow to avoid it? Great question, I thought you’d never ask!

1. Use a humidifier in your basement during humid seasons to keep your space dry and protect against condensation that can build up on concrete walls.
2. Inspect your clothes dryer vent and ventilation fans located in the kitchen and bathrooms to make sure they lead airflow directly to the outside of your home.
3. Speak to or consult with your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system contractor to make sure your system is equipped and properly sized to remove humidity from your basement.
4. Open the door to your basement at least once a month and run an oscillating fan in the basement for between 1 and 2 hours to promote air circulation.
5. Place materials such as clothing, furniture, books, and paperwork in areas away from the basement walls or remove them from the basement completely to prevent increased humidity levels and mold growth.
6. Inspect your basement regularly for water leaks.
7. Hire or consult with a building contractor or plumber immediately to repair the foundation in your home or leaks that originate from other rooms of your house, such as the kitchen or bathroom.
8. Clean your rain gutters and downspout runoffs on a regular basis to prevent flooding and standing water in your basement.
9. Examine the outside perimeter of your house to make sure the ground slopes down and away from your foundation, which will prevent basement leaks and flooding.
10. Check your sump pump regularly if you have one to make sure it works properly and is not causing your basement to flood.
11. Hire a contractor who specializes in mold removal and water damage repairs if leaks have already caused mold growth in certain areas in your basement.

We are a Company, local to Kansas City, and we love to serve our community through educating them on how to avoid foundation issues with them home and what to watch for. We also take great pride in our work and would like to service our local community to keep them safe and dry. If there are any homes that have foundation cracks in Kansas City, please reach out to us and let us take a look at your foundation and give you a free estimate on what it will take to make repairs. Again, we are locals and we repair foundation cracks in Kansas City. So, if you have a home with foundation cracks in Kansas City, check us out online at cpsfoundationrepair.com and give us a call!

Tips to Prevent Basement Flooding

If there is one thing we all don’t want to see when we walk down into our basements, it’s water. Water in the basement means ruined furniture, flooring, walls, carpets, and rugs. It means a cut into our finances or an increase on the cost of our home owners insurance. Whatever way you look at it, it is not a good thing.


Being in the Midwest, KC has a lot of homes that have basements. The Midwest is known for its severe weather that during the spring can include flash flood warnings. That means a lot of water can build up very quickly. In order to avoid basement leaks in Kansas City, we need to look at some ways to protect our foundations against water leakage.

The foundation issues that can arise and cause this type of leakage can come from a variety of different issues. One example, could be clay soils which can become saturated with water. When this happens, the soil expands, pushing upward towards the foundation. As the soil dries, it contracts and the pressure is released. This hydrostatic pressure can cause foundation cracks, movement and even instability. Water can enter through these cracks, creating a wet basement.

Water can seep in from under the footer, located underneath the poured basement floor. Most basement construction leaves a space between the footer and the basement floor. When water comes into this area from poor exterior drainage or other issues, it can exert pressure on the foundation. This can cause foundation cracks and allow water to seep into the basement. Water may enter small cracks located between the footer and the wall atop it as well.

If you are looking to avoid basement leaks in Kansas City, then you’ve come to the right blog. We, at CPS Foundation Repair, are looking to educate KC on basement leaks in Kansas City. We believe educating can help avoid issues or let you know what to watch for so that you can call on our expertise in time of need. Continue to follow our blogs to learn what to watch for and what we do to fix those problems.

Tip of the day: The most important fact that we could share with you is to make sure that you always watch for cracks inside and outside of your home, even within the foundation, as it can be a source of foundation issues which lead to water leakage into your home.

More Than Foundation

CPS installs egress windows increasing your homes value and safety

By MichaelPersaud

 Posted August 30, 2013 

In Egress Windows, Foundation Repair

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In Kansas City where basements are common, egress windows can save your family’s life in case of a fire. In fact, building codes now require egress windows in basements where there are living quarters.

An egress window is an easy-to-open window also serves as an emergency exit for below-ground living spaces.

Let’s be honest – during a fire, stairs could be blocked or damaged. To avoid such dangerous situations, the International Residential Code requires an egress window or the equivalent in all basements used partially or entirely as a living space.

Just as important, an egress window totally eliminates the “dungeon feeling” that many, if not most, basements have.
With egress windows, you can have fresh air in your basement, which improves your home’s overall ventilation.

These windows increase the value of your house by adding your basement as a living space when selling or refinancing.

Give CPS a call to get your egress window install done right.

A+ Approved Foundation Repair Experts BBB Certified

What does CPS’s “A” ranking from the BBB mean for you?

By MichaelPersaud

 Posted April 16, 2013

In Industry Information

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CPS Foundation Repair has an “A” ranking by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This means we are trusted to deliver quality services with quality materials. 

Below are the areas which are measured by the (BBB) and used to come up with a rating:

1. Type of Business
2. Time in Business
3. Competency Licensing
4. Complaint Volume
5. Unanswered Complaints
6. Unresolved Complaints
7. Serious Complaints
8. Complaint Analysis
9. Complaint Resolution Delayed
10. Failure to Address Complaint Pattern
11. Government Action
12. Advertising Review
13. Background Information
14. Clear understanding of business
15. Mediation/arbitration
16. Revocation

Below is an explanation of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) from Wikipedia.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB), founded in 1912, is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing marketplace trust, consisting of 113 independently incorporated local BBB organizations in the United States and Canada, coordinated under the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) in Washington, D.C. In 2012, the BBB celebrated its 100th anniversary.

The BBB collects and provides free business reliability reviews on more than 4 million businesses to over 100 million requests from consumers in 2012, helping make the BBB’s website rank among the top 500 most-visited websites in the United States. The BBB serves as an intermediary between consumers and businesses, handling nearly 1 million consumer disputes against businesses in 2012. The BBB also alerts the public to scams, reviews advertising, and assists when donating to charity.

Nearly 400,000 local businesses in North America support the BBB. The BBB invites successfully vetted businesses to become dues-paying Accredited Businesses that pledge and continue to adhere to the BBB Code of Business Practices. In return, the BBB allows Accredited Businesses to use its logo and dispute resolution services.

Although it has “bureau” in its name, the Better Business Bureau is not affiliated with any governmental agency. Businesses that affiliate with the BBB and adhere to its standards do so through industry self-regulation. To avoid bias, the BBB’s policy is to refrain from recommending or endorsing any specific business, product or service.

How to Avoid Home Foundation Issues

Like most people you probably don’t think about your home foundation until you’ve experience cracks or leaks.  When cracks and leaks show up, you’ve already ignored problems that can be costly and serious.  CPS Foundation Repair we wanted to provide you 4 mistakes that can cause home foundation frustrations if unresolved.

1. Water Woes – always avoid letting the soil around your house completely dry out and shrink during a long dry season.  When you are in Missouri/Kansas area the soil is clay and majority of times during your next big rain it soaks the soil and makes it expand dramatically and causes stress on your home foundation walls.  Our suggestion is to soak the soil around your house at least 6 inches from your home foundation and 3 inches under the soil during dry season.
2. Root Riots – keep in mind your trees and shrub roots can complete with your soil for moisture during dry seasons.  This will cause your home foundation to settle and sink unevenly.  If that happens your drywall can crack and windows/doors will stick in frames.  Here is what we recommend:  plant deep-rooted trees and shrubs away from your home foundation.  If the branches touch your house, than it is way too close.
3. Grading Gaffes – most the time poor soil excavation can direct water toward the base of you home foundation walls.  If you like to prevent this from happening, you can ensure your yard is graded at least 6 inches in 10 feet so soil slopes away from your home.  You may need to build up a berm, dig trench, or install a French drain to funnel rainwater and runoff away from your home.
4. Downspout Downer – remember downspouts should direct rain and roof runoff away from your home.  If it is not extended 5 – 10 feet away from the house, you’ll dump water on your home foundation.  Easily resolve this issue by buying extenders at your local hardware store or bury a long downspout diverted underground and drain the water to the curb, storm drain, or a spot in your yard where water will will go into the soil.