Building the foundation
Welcome to the first blog of hopefully many. I have chosen to start at the foundation, because naturally as a home inspector it is a good place to start when we build.
“The important thing is that you’ve got a strong foundation before you start to try to save the world or help other people” - Richard Branson
Everyone knows a foundation is important, it is a clear metaphor when discussing where to start. So what about in a home? The foundation is often overlooked since it requires little to no maintenance from the home owner and is easy to overlook yet without a foundation, your home would not be very strong.
Interesting Hudson Valley Fact: Rosendale NY is home to a very important historical source of cement used in foundations and much more. Rosendale cement was used in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, including the piers and towers. Additional locations that you may have heard of that have Rosendale cement, the U.S. Capital, The Statue of Liberty and the in 1954 the start of the New York State Thruway. One of the historical sites in Rosendale where the cement was mined from can be visited and holds events, Widow Jane Mine. Check out this interesting read at Atlas Obscura https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/widow-jane-mine
Foundation types: In the Hudson Valley we can find many types of foundations. Most homes in the HV do have basements which can vary in height and be constructed from stone, bricks, blocks and more modern poured foundation. Older homes may have a foundation built from the rocks found nearby and are often very thick. With these homes you will likely find a dirt floor basement.
Another piece of Hudson Valley History is the Hutton Brickyards of Kingston, New York which developed a legacy from providing bricks to the original Yankee Stadium and Empire State Building. The yards which are on the Hudson River are still alive today and offer a location of history with a rotation of events. More can be found on their website. https://www.huttonbrickyards.com/history
Concrete and cinder block foundations began appearing in the 1930’s and became so popular that people started to build homes with concrete block and garages. Some builders who still build a home from bottom up will use block for a foundation but the benefits of a poured foundation are hard to beat and those builders are becoming less and less.
The poured foundation is typically what modern homes and building have now. These poured foundation walls with a cement slab not only create a strong foundation but it is also cleaner looking, more resistant to water intrusion and easier to create a finished basement. As strong as they are some have faults such as cracks that may need to be monitored.
Much like us, there is many different types of foundations. Some are old, some are cracked and some appear perfect but are damaged where you can’t see. Become familiar with your basement and if you have a sump pump in your basement keep an eye on it because it’s another very important piece of your home. Look for possible rodent intrusion (mouse poop, items with chew marks), moisture damage in the form of mold and mildew. Is your basement ceiling insulated along with the joist ends? Do you have a furnace in your basement and if so do you have a carbon monoxide detector? There’s a lot going on down there and most of it supports the life above it. Take care of these issue now because they will likely grow to be much bigger and expensive issues. Foundations are just one of many areas on our list in our home inspections so if you are buying or selling a home we’ll fight the spider webs and inspect your basement.
For more info or pricing on a home inspection call John at River Valley Home Inspections at 845-741-8449 or email John@rivervalleyhomeinespection.com.