With cracks in the driveway, does that mean there are cracks in the slab of the actual house?
Not necessarily. They are two separate structures. A structural engineer will look inside the home for corresponding cracks on the opposite side of the room. If the settling of the house’s slab is too severe, the engineer will recommend either drilling down to bedrock and pouring concrete piers under the slab or installing steel piers to support the foundation. Count on spending about $400 for each pier. Remember, a cracked driveway may just be a cracked driveway. Q: What can I do to lessen the probability of a “cracked slab”? Make sure rainwater is draining away from the house. In long dry spells, you should water around the outside perimeter of your home to keep the soil from shrinking away from the foundation. Q: Any ideas on “how to beat the heat”? Several! You might add an awning. It can lower a home’s interior temperature by 15 degrees and reduce air conditioning bills by 10% – 32%. Also, consider planting a few trees: just 3 trees planted around a house can cut cooling (and heat
