Why is My Foundation Shifting?
The Houston Homeowner’s Guide to Soil, Water, and Tree Roots
As a homeowner in the Greater Houston Area, you’ve likely seen the classic signs of foundation distress: a cracked tile, a sticky door, or a new crack running across your sheetrock. It’s concerning, but here’s the good news: you’re not alone, and it’s usually not a mystery.
At Deep Rock Foundations, we understand the unique challenges of building and maintaining a home in Southeast Texas. As our owner, Derek, explains, the root cause of nearly all foundation problems in our region—from League City to Sugar Land and all the way up to The Woodlands—boils down to the very ground we live on.
Watch the video below for a quick explanation, then read on for a deeper dive into what causes foundation problems in your Houston-area home.
Three Big Reasons Foundations Shift Around Houston, Texas
1. Houston’s Expansive Clay Soil
The foundation of your home sits on a type of soil known as expansive clay soil. This is the key piece of the puzzle, and it’s why foundation movement is a perennial issue in the Houston, Texas metroplex.
Clay soil behaves like a sponge:
This constant push and pull—the expansion and contraction—is the movement that ultimately causes the foundation to fail.
2. Weather: The Dual Threat of Droughts and Rain
While the clay soil is the material that causes the movement, weather patterns are the trigger:
The Danger of Droughts
As Derek mentioned in the video, droughts are the “big one.” When we experience extended dry periods (which are becoming more common in Houston), the soil around your home dries out, causing it to shrink. This shrinkage leads to your foundation dropping or settling, which is a major cause of cracks inside your home.
Excessive Rain and Poor Drainage
Conversely, too much water can also be a problem. Poor drainage allows puddles to sit next to your house, causing over-swelling in localized areas. This uneven pressure can push one part of your foundation up while the rest stays level, leading to significant structural stress. This is why proper drainage solutions are often part of a complete foundation repair plan.
3. The Soil’s Thirsty Enemy: The Mighty Oak Tree
If you have large, mature trees near your home—especially the beautiful, but demanding, Oak Tree—they are actively accelerating your foundation problems.
A single mature oak tree can drink a staggering 100 to 150 gallons of water per day directly from the soil surrounding your foundation.
This aggressive water consumption effectively creates a localized, continuous “drought” around the tree’s root system, causing the nearby clay soil to shrink and recede. When the soil sinks, your foundation loses support and begins to settle. If you have an oak tree within 15 to 20 feet of your house, it’s a critical area to monitor.
What to Look For: Signs You Need a Foundation Specialist
It’s important to be proactive. If you live in Katy, Pearland, Cypress, Friendswood, or any other community within the Greater Houston Area, look for these common warning signs:
- Cracks in Tile or Hard Flooring
- Cracks in Brick (especially near the mortar joints)
- Sheetrock Damage (cracks above doors, windows, or along ceiling seams)
- Sticky Doors or Windows (they no longer open or close smoothly)
- Expansion Joints in your brick opening up
If you are seeing any of these visual signs, it is time to have a professional assessment.
Ready to Restore Stability to Your Home?
At Deep Rock Foundations, we have served thousands of satisfied customers across your area. We take pride in our honest assessments and our stellar five-star customer satisfaction rating. We know how to diagnose the impact of Houston’s clay soil and create a customized, effective repair plan.
Don’t let soil movement compromise the stability and value of your home! Schedule your FREE evaluation today.
With over 200 5-Star reviews, we’re ranked as a top Houston Foundation Repair Company !
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Derek with Deep Rock Foundations and today we’re gonna walk through what causes foundation problems.
It all boils down to the clay soil that we live on in the way our houses are built. And that clay soil is gonna expand and contract as water content in the soil changes. So that movement, the expansion, and then the contraction is what causes the foundation to fail.
Weather patterns are a common thing that are going to affect your foundation because if you have too much rain, you can get puddles that sit next to the house, causing an over swelling in certain areas.
But the big one is a drought, because as soil dries out, it shrinks. As it shrinks, then your foundation begins to float in the air over time and then breaks and can drop.
Oak trees in your front yard are one of the biggest issues. An oak tree can drink something like 100 to 150 gallons of water per day–just coming out of your soil–and the soil begins to sink and your foundation isn’t even touching the soil and then begins to settle.
So if you’re seeing things like cracks in your tile, any kind of crack in your sheetrock, or if you’re seeing brick expansion joint open up, any kind of cracks in your brick, go check it out. If you’re seeing any of signs, it might be time to call a foundation specialist to come check out your foundation.
Deep Rock Foundations has served thousands of customers in your area, and we take pride in our five-star customer satisfaction rating.
So call Deep Rock Foundations for any foundation problems!
Schedule an
Evaluation
We offer free evaluations that can typically be scheduled within one week of your call. Contact us today to book your no-cost assessment and get a clear, tailored plan to protect your home. Oh, and a human will answer like an old school mom and pop shop.