The Effects of Hot Weather on Home Subsidence in the UK
It’s that time of the year again with dry, warm and sunny weather returning to the UK. The weather in the UK is becoming more extreme, and unfortunately heat waves, and prolonged periods of record high temperatures can negatively impact your home.
Finding subsidence in your home is one of the most harrowing situations any homeowner could face. When the home you’ve made your own is experiencing damage from the effects of sinking or the gradual settling of the building’s foundation, it can be a very scary and stressful time. It leaves many homeowners wondering why this happened to them. Well, the structural disturbance can occur for several reasons, including human activities, geological factors and even the extremities of the British climate.
In hot weather, the risk and impact of subsidence intensify, making it much more challenging to repair. But why? Today, we will explore why hot weather can impact subsidence and how we at Subsidence can help homeowners address this pressing issue.
Resin Injection Subsidence Recovery UK
As a leading subsidence recovery company serving the whole of the UK, our team’s collective knowledge and experience spans decades, making us experts in subsidence detection and repair.
At Subsidence, we proudly stand as industry leaders when it comes to addressing subsidence issues and their solutions across the UK. You can reach out to us any day of the week from 8 am to 8 pm at 0333 1300592 for expert guidance. We’re committed to providing assistance nationwide and offer complimentary on-site assessments carried out by our skilled engineers. In cases where multiple homes within the same postcode area are affected by ground shifting, we extend special discounts to our clients.
Causes of Subsidence
Before we take a closer look at the effects of heat on subsidence issues, it’s essential to address its general causes so you can better understand your situation and how to rectify it. Subsidence can be triggered for various reasons, but generally, it’s due to soil composition, geological shifts, and several human activities such as mining, drilling, or construction.
These factors, whether a combination or individually, can destabilise the ground beneath a building, leading to subsidence.
How Does Hot Weather Cause Subsidence?
While the above points can play a significant role in subsidence formation, heat also has a part to play. This is because hot climates lead to the rapid evaporation of soil moisture, causing ground shrinkage. Once this soil compaction commences, foundations begin to move, causing an uneven base that causes buildings to sink.
Additionally, when the atmosphere’s heat rises, root systems weaken, further destabilising the soil. Over the years, studies have shown that subsidence can dramatically worsen in hot weather conditions due to these effects.
Can Cold Weather Cause Subsidence?
Cold climates can lead to the freezing of soil moisture, causing ground expansion as the water within the soil turns into ice. As this freeze-thaw cycle continues, it can lead to soil instability and foundation movement, ultimately resulting in an uneven base and building settlement.
Furthermore, as temperatures drop, root systems can become weaker, adding to the destabilisation of the soil. Over time, research has indicated that subsidence can significantly worsen in cold weather conditions due to these specific effects.
Why Hot Climates Worsen Subsidence
It’s time to look further into why subsidence worsens during heat waves. By understanding its causes, you’ll have a better idea of how at-risk you are of subsidence and what your next steps should be.
Soil Moisture and Evaporation
Moist soil is integral for building stability; therefore, once the soil dries out due to high heat levels, it loses its holding capacity, leading to the sinking of the ground.
Ground Shrinkage
When we experience a prolonged summer, the ground’s materials shrink, causing movement and sinkage. Is subsidence worse in summer? Yes. Once this happens, subsidence only intensifies as the soil pulls away from the property’s foundations.
Weakened Root Systems
When the UK is hit with a drought warning due to the weather, you can expect the root systems of plants and trees to weaken. Once this begins, they retract from the soil, decreasing the stability of the earth and increasing the chances of subsidence.
Increased Incidence During Heatwaves
Regarding subsidence in heatwaves, statistical data and anecdotal evidence indicate a noticeable spike in subsidence issues. We often get approached by a larger number of property owners during these times, solidifying the relationship between heat and subsidence.
Our Commitment to Effective Subsidence Relief
At Subsidence, we pride ourselves on undergoing a comprehensive detection and recovery process, giving our clients peace of mind that we’ve eradicated all signs of subsidence. During the early stages, we survey a property and measure soil stability and the building foundations, ensuring we are prepared for treatment.
While early detection of the subsidence area makes everybody’s life easier, this is only sometimes possible. But do not fret; we can tackle subsidence at all stages. It just may impact how invasive our methods are, as well as the level of equipment, human resources and products we will require.
How Our Resin Subsidence Solutions Work
Unlike the hugely invasive and risky underpinning measures traditionally used to combat subsidence, we use an innovative resin formula that achieves never-seen-before results in a matter of minutes. Our resin product is injected into the earth, expanding to fill gaps and stabilise the soil. This also forces out any unwanted water.
Once filled, we will monitor its success using our state-of-the-art laser monitors, which detect as little as 0.25mm of movement around the injection point. We will continue this process until the foundation is at the required level.
This method offers a multitude of benefits, including efficiency and minimal disruption to nearby areas.
Treating Worsened Conditions
It’s important to note that when our team treats properties with a great deal of subsidence damage, timelines may be increased. However, we are confident that our processes are more than competent in conquering even the most severe subsidence conditions, allowing us to restore structural integrity.
Subsidence Worsening Suddenly?
Have you noticed signs of subsidence developing over the summer? With the recent hot climate, your subsidence may have taken an even worse turn. If so, let our team of expertly trained professionals tackle the damage to your property, giving it a new lease of life. If you’re concerned about the structural integrity of your property, don’t hesitate to contact Subsidence via phone at 0333 1300592 for a comprehensive consultation.
Remember!
We always ask homeowners to monitor their property if they’re at high risk of subsidence damage. If you’d like more information on protecting your property from subsidence, contact us directly for personalised solutions and services.
CEO of Subsidence Ltd