frost heave

[John Dirks Jr]

Have any of you seen any cases of frost heave this year due to the exceptionally cold winter we've had? If so, please describe them

There were two cases where I think the conclusion was such.

1) I got a call to inspect a structure that had experienced loud banging noises across the back of the house. It was a split level with a rear deck off the top level and a rear grade sloped away from the house. The deck attachment was of cantilevered design (no ledger). My best guess was the deck post footers at the outer end had been heaving upward enough to cause a pivot at the cantilever attachment to the main floor structure. The movement resulted in the banging noises.

2) Modular ranch style home on crawlspace. Gaps in the interior trim and wall components and doors rubbing frames would make you conclude the piers and main center beam was settling. After thoroughly checking everything in the crawl, there were no signs of the piers or center beam moving at all. Since the center piers are rarely subjected to frost heave, I'm wondering if the perimeter walls could have lifted under pressure of frost heave.

[Jim Katen]

. . . 1) I got a call to inspect a structure that had experienced loud banging noises across the back of the house. It was a split level with a rear deck off the top level and a rear grade sloped away from the house. The deck attachment was of cantilevered design (no ledger). My best guess was the deck post footers at the outer end had been heaving upward enough to cause a pivot at the cantilever attachment to the main floor structure. The movement resulted in the banging noises.

Sounds plausible.

2) Modular ranch style home on crawlspace. Gaps in the interior trim and wall components and doors rubbing frames would make you conclude the piers and main center beam was settling. After thoroughly checking everything in the crawl, there were no signs of the piers or center beam moving at all. Since the center piers are rarely subjected to frost heave, I'm wondering if the perimeter walls could have lifted under pressure of frost heave.

Sounds like the trim and framing just shrank due to very low humidity during very cold weather.