So, not much difference from any other type of foundation, eh? The PWF wasn’t a ‘bad’ foundation, but a foundation that was harmed due to other conditions, such as those that would cause damage to ANY foundation.
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Not necessarily in the case of the two situations mentioned. There was no settling of the concrete footing on either home. PWF foundations in our area are installed on top of concrete footings. The bottom plate on both homes disintegrated due to being constantly wet. The foundation contractor who evaluated both foundations and eventually repaired both foundations later told me that the poly sheeting on the first home (leaky hose spigot) was 50 plus years old and had developed holes which let water into the wall assembly. The other home (condensate line) which was only 12 years old, the poly sheeting was not installed high enough above grade and the condensate was draining behind the plastic. Both situations were caused by different things (leaky hose spigot and condensate line) but if it wasn’t for the compromised poly sheeting the damage likely would not have been as extensive. I am basing this in part due to the fact most homes in my area have condensate lines terminating near the foundation and rarely do I find any foundation issues at these areas. This has just been my experience.
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Thanks Kevin. I’ll be sure to be overly critical with the smaller issues when I address them in my report. Appreciate the insight.
I have inspected a few houses with wood foundations. They seem to be gaining in popularity. Look for the same things you would look for if it were concrete block, poured concrete, or any other material. If I were in the business of predicting the future (which I am not), I would be inclined to think that concrete would outlast wood that is in the ground.
I have friends who bought a house with a wood foundation seven or eight years ago. I inspected it for them. The house was about 10 years old when they bought it. It has a full basement. We are in an area where water intrusion is a common problem. So far, they have had no problems. I’m still skeptical of wood foundations, but not as skeptical as I was a few years ago.
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