Frost Heave

What Homeowners Should Know About Frost Heave

When winter hits, most homeowners worry about icy driveways or frozen pipes. However, one hidden danger that often goes unnoticed is frost heave, a powerful force that can crack your foundation, tilt your walls, and lead to long-term structural damage. It doesn’t happen overnight, but when it does, the cost to repair can be significant.

At ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing, we’ve been helping homeowners handle frost heave damage for over 65 years. In this blog, we’ll explain how frost heave works, what signs to watch for, and what steps you can take to protect your home.

What Is Frost Heave?

Frost heave happens when moisture in the soil freezes and expands, pushing upward with surprising force. As water turns to ice, it expands in volume and lifts the soil and anything resting above it, including your foundation. When temperatures rise and the ice thaws, the ground settles again. This repeated cycle of freezing and thawing causes movement in the soil that can shift, crack, or tilt concrete structures over time.

The deeper the frost reaches into the ground, the more severe the heaving can become. Homes built on poorly drained or moisture-retaining soils, like clay, are particularly vulnerable. And while frost heave may not cause immediate damage, the cumulative effect over several winters can compromise the structural integrity of your foundation.

Signs of Frost Heave Damage in Your Home

Not all foundation damage shows up overnight. In many cases, frost heave reveals itself through subtle but progressive symptoms. If you know what to look for, you can catch the warning signs before the problem grows worse.

Common indicators of frost heave include:

• Cracks in Walls or Floors: Look for vertical or stair-step cracks in your basement walls, garage slab, or foundation. These may widen over time with each freeze-thaw cycle.
  
• Sticking Doors or Windows: If doors or windows suddenly become hard to open or won’t latch properly, it could be due to shifting in your home’s structure.
  
• Uneven or Sloping Floors: Heaved soil can lift one portion of your foundation and not another, causing sagging or slanted floors inside the home.
  
• Gaps in Trim or Baseboards: Small separations between trim and walls, or crown molding pulling away at the ceiling, can signal foundation movement.
  
• New Water Leaks: If you notice moisture, dampness, or water intrusion in your basement or crawl space, frost heave may be creating new entry points.
  

If you're seeing one or more of these signs, it's a good idea to schedule a professional inspection. Early intervention can prevent further damage and lower the cost of repairs.

Why Frost Heave Happens in Our Region

Frost heave is more likely to affect homes in regions where winter brings frequent freeze-thaw cycles, and the soil holds onto moisture. Much of our service area, across states like Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas, has the right combination of seasonal cold, clay-rich soils, and drainage challenges that make frost heave a recurring threat.

Several regional conditions contribute to the problem:

• Fluctuating Temperatures: When daytime thaws follow nighttime freezes, the ground doesn’t stay stable. These rapid changes drive the repeated expansion and contraction that causes frost heave.
  
• Moisture-Retaining Soils: Clay-heavy soils are common in many of the areas we serve. These soils hold water and swell more aggressively when frozen.
  
• Poor Drainage: Without proper grading, water pools around the foundation and saturates the soil, setting the stage for severe ground movement when cold weather hits.
  

Even homes with well-built foundations can suffer damage over time if the surrounding soil and water conditions are left unmanaged. That’s why understanding your local environment is key to protecting your home.

How to Prevent and Repair Frost Heave Damage

Frost heave may be caused by nature, but its impact can be reduced, or even prevented, with the right strategies. Whether you're dealing with early signs of damage or want to protect your foundation before problems begin, here are some effective options:

• Improve Drainage Around the Home: Ensure the soil slopes away from your foundation so water doesn’t collect and freeze beneath it. Gutters, downspouts, and surface grading all play a role.
  
• Install a Foundation Waterproofing System: Waterproof coatings, drainage mats, or interior systems can help control groundwater before it reaches your foundation walls.
  
• Encapsulate Crawl Spaces: Crawl space encapsulation helps seal out moisture that contributes to soil saturation and instability under the home.
  
• Stabilize Foundations with Piers or Reinforcement: If frost heave has already caused movement, professional foundation repair systems, such as steel piers or wall reinforcement, can restore structural integrity.
  
• Schedule a Professional Inspection: At ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing, we offer free inspections to assess the condition of your foundation, identify any signs of frost-related damage, and recommend long-term solutions backed by our Lifetime TotalCare Maintenance Program.
  

The sooner frost heave is identified, the easier and more cost-effective it is to repair. Don’t wait for cracks to grow or water to seep in. Protect your home before small problems turn into structural risks.

Protect Your Home with Help from ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing

If you’ve noticed cracks, uneven floors, or other signs of frost heave around your home, now is the time to act. At ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing, we bring over 65 years of experience and a team of trusted local experts who know how to spot, stop, and repair frost heave damage before it leads to bigger problems.

Schedule your free inspection today. Our company offers honest recommendations, fair pricing, and repairs backed by our Lifetime TotalCare Maintenance Program, which includes a Lifetime Warranty, Money-Back Guarantee, and Product Replacement Coverage on key components.

Call or schedule online in under two minutes. When it comes to protecting your foundation, don't settle for promises. Trust the contractor who guarantees it for life.