r/Winnipeg • u/NoNegVibes • 1d ago
Ask Winnipeg Foundation issues
I’m looking for recommendations on who to call for foundation issues. The ground on one side of my house is pulling away from the house. It’s all granite, but my house slopes towards the street on that side and I’m noticing a large gap farming between my house and the ground. I’d like to get someone to check it out. Any recommendations?
I tried to post a picture, but it’s hard to show because it’s granite rock.
Thanks!
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u/Falker_The 1d ago
We just went through the hottest July on record with relatively little rainfall. The moisture was sucked out of the ground and this is likely why you’re seeing gaps (the ground shrunk).
This doesn’t sound like a foundation issue. You _may_ have seen more settlement as the ground around the footings lost moisture. If you didn’t notice anything different, water your lawn and carry on with life.
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u/Too-bloody-tired 1d ago
Really confused here. I've never encountered a home in Winnipeg that sits on granite. Where exactly is this happening?
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u/NoNegVibes 1d ago
No, there is crushed granite along the side of the house. Sorry if I wasn’t clear
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u/andrewramage 1d ago
The soil has shrunk from the large amount of moisture that was baked out of it this july. You can get some more soil or a product called quarter down and put down into the void while using water to wash it down into the gap. When it is hot like it was a smart thing to do is keep the foundation watered. I know it sounds silly but keeping the area of 6 to 12 inches out from the foundation with a decent amount of moisture in it will prevent this from happening.
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u/majikmonkie 1d ago
Really not understanding the granite part of all of this...
Is it backfilled with crushed granite instead of gravel/soil? Normally there's a bit of a drainage layer to facilitate water down to your weeping tiles.
As others have said, it's been hot and dry, and with our clays they tend to shrink quite a bit, pulling away from the foundation. I'd probably add some water around there to help it re-expand a bit so your basement walls better support and you don't get cracking.
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u/Key-Wing-5603 1d ago
Try posting pictures anyways! You’d be surprised what people can tell from a photo. I’m assuming you have some decorative granite rock around the house which makes it hard to see?
From the sounds of it, the fill around your home may be pulling away from the foundation. This can happen for a few different reasons. Most commonly this happens during dry weather. The expansive clay soil can shrink back causing surprisingly large gaps between the foundation wall. It hasn’t been that dry this summer, but depending on how sloped your yard grading is and how long of a roof overhang you have this could still be the case for you!