[LAFAYETTE, 02/19/2016] - Van Matre Construction, LLC, a home and commercial construction company in Lafayette, looks below the ground to address a persisting problem among houses in Colorado. One of the company’s services is structural repair. This is a valuable service since many homes are now succumbing to the latent effects of expansive soil.

Colorado’s Expansive Soil: A Geological Hazard

A vast area of Colorado land consists of layers of various kinds of clay. Its color, along with the natural mountainous landscape, adds to the beauty of the state. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most common reasons for structural defects in Colorado’s houses and commercial establishments.

The Colorado Geological Survey (CGS) says that Colorado soil contains bentonite and montmorillonite clays from weathered volcanic ash. When wet, the clays expand by 20% and exert 30,000 pounds of force per square foot — strong enough to inflict significant damage to any man-made structure. As a result, the CGS declared expansive soil a geological hazard.

Worsening Conditions Due to Climate Change

Climate change makes matters worse. Hurricanes have become more frequent in recent years while summer temperatures continue to soar. As a result, the soil expands and contracts constantly, and the motion causes significant damage to foundations, basements, and gutters.

Providing Long-Term Solutions for Foundational Defects

While the local government enacts changes in the local building codes to protect future homeowners against property investment losses, Van Matre Construction, LLC provides solutions for homeowners who are currently contending with structural damage in their homes.

The company has been repairing foundations, basements, and underground drainages since 2001. It first identifies the nature and cause of structural defects, determining if they’re due to vertical or lateral movement or drainage issues. From there, the company proposes permanent repairs and structural supports, like carbon fiber and steel bracings, helical piers, and geo-lock anchors.

Van Matre Construction, LLC recommends that homeowners call foundation repair specialists as soon as visible indicators of defects surface. Regardless of the building’s age, immediate and long-term solutions will preserve the house’s structure, says the company.

About Van Matre Construction, LLC

Van Matre Construction, LLC in Lafayette offers a full range of construction services. It builds houses and commercial buildings, remodels interiors and exteriors, and converts crawl spaces into functional basements. It also does a variety of structural repair services. The company’s services are available to clients in Boulder, Louisville, Longmont, Broomfield, Westminster, and Denver.

For inquiries, visit https://bouldercontractors.com.