Foundation Repairs to Tackle End-of-Summer Settling Issues

As summer in Michigan begins to wind down, many homeowners start preparing their yards and gutters for fall—but there’s one area that often gets overlooked: your foundation. For mobile and manufactured homes, which typically rest on pier-and-beam or block supports, the transition from summer to fall is one of the most important times of year to pay attention to what’s happening beneath your home.

Throughout the summer months, Michigan experiences a dramatic cycle of weather extremes. Early season drought and dry spells pull moisture from the soil, causing it to shrink, crack, and recede from your home’s supports. Then come the heavy rains of late summer—soaking the dried-out soil and causing it to rapidly swell and shift. This expansion and contraction may not seem obvious from the surface, but underground, it can place uneven pressure on your home’s foundation—leading to tilting, sinking, or separation at key structural points.

These soil movements are especially impactful for mobile homes, where foundations sit closer to the surface and are more vulnerable to subtle shifts in ground moisture. You may not notice an issue right away—but over time, these small movements can lead to cracked skirting, unlevel floors, sticking doors or windows, and even visible separation at the seams of double-wide structures.

That’s why late summer is one of the most important times of the year to schedule a foundation inspection. After months of weather stress, your home may already be showing signs of settling—and catching those issues now can help you avoid larger, more expensive problems down the line. Waiting until fall rains or freezing winter conditions set in makes repairs harder and potentially more costly.

Understanding Foundation Settling in Mobile & Manufactured Homes

The Foundation Types Under Your Home

Mobile and manufactured homes are typically supported by one of the following foundation systems:

• Pier-and-beam: The most common type, especially in mobile homes. Concrete or block piers support the home on steel I-beams or wooden joists, with open or skirted crawlspace access.
• Slab foundation: Less common, but occasionally found in manufactured home installations. The home is secured directly to a concrete slab.
• Blocking system: Concrete blocks or pads are stacked under the home’s frame and adjusted to level it. These systems often require regular maintenance and re-leveling.
• Crawlspace with skirting: May include insulation, a vapor barrier, and venting, but still depends on piers or blocks to carry the load.

These foundation types are all designed to distribute the weight of the home evenly across the soil, but when that soil shifts—whether from drought, heavy rain, or freeze-thaw cycles—it can cause uneven support, leading to what we refer to as settling.

What “Settling” Really Means

Settling occurs when the soil beneath your home compacts, erodes, or shifts over time, causing your foundation to lose its level alignment. In small amounts, this can be a normal part of your home aging—especially in the first year after installation.

But in Michigan, where seasonal weather extremes create sudden and sometimes drastic soil movement, settling can happen more frequently and more severely than in other regions.

Signs of settling might include:

• Floors that slope or feel uneven
• Cracks appearing in interior walls or skirting
• Doors or windows that stick, shift, or won’t latch properly
• Gaps between walls and ceilings, or walls and floors

Why Mobile Homes Are More Vulnerable to Soil Movement

Because mobile and manufactured homes aren’t anchored to deep footings like traditional homes, they are highly dependent on surface-level stability. When the soil dries out during a hot summer and then rapidly expands with a sudden rainstorm, the result is often uneven lifting or sinking of support points beneath the home.

In areas with clay-rich soil—common in parts of Michigan—the effect is even more dramatic. Clay shrinks when dry and swells significantly when wet, putting immense stress on the blocks or piers that support your home’s frame.

Normal Settling vs. Structural Concerns

While minor settling is expected—especially in the first year after a home is placed—there’s a fine line between normal movement and structural warning signs. Normal settling may cause small cosmetic cracks or require a minor re-level. Problematic settling results in noticeable shifting, sagging floors, separation at seams, or damage to walls, plumbing, and HVAC connections.

If you’re not sure which one you’re dealing with, it’s best to get a professional foundation inspection to identify whether the settling is stable or actively worsening.

Repair Solutions for Settled or Unstable Mobile Home Foundations

Re-leveling the Structure

One of the most frequent and cost-effective foundation solutions is re-leveling. Over time, natural soil movement can cause piers or blocks to sink or tilt, leaving parts of your home uneven. Re-leveling involves:

• Jacking up low sections of the home using hydraulic lifts or screw jacks
• Shimming between the home’s steel frame and its support piers using approved materials
• Adjusting piers to ensure all contact points are providing even load-bearing support

This process redistributes the weight of the home and brings the floor back to level—often resolving issues like sticking doors, cracked drywall, or visible gaps along marriage lines. It's also a great preventive measure if completed before freeze-thaw cycles worsen the settling.

Replacing Cracked or Shifted Blocks and Piers

When individual foundation supports are damaged—whether from erosion, age, or soil movement—they need to be replaced. This includes:

• Cracked concrete blocks that are no longer load-bearing
• Leaning or displaced piers
• Wooden shims or supports that have deteriorated or compressed

Replacing compromised blocks and piers ensures your home is supported evenly and helps prevent future movement.

Installing New Footers or Anchors for Long-Term Stability

In cases where the soil beneath the home is consistently unstable—or where drainage issues contribute to frequent shifting—it may be necessary to reinforce the foundation with new footers or anchors.

• Footers provide a more stable base by distributing the weight of the pier across a wider surface area of soil. These are often poured concrete pads or pre-formed blocks that sit beneath each support pier.
• Anchors may be added to secure the home against wind uplift and lateral movement, particularly in areas prone to storm activity or frost heave.

Repairing or Sealing Gaps in Skirting and Underbelly

When a foundation settles, it's common for gaps to appear between the home’s base and the ground. These openings may seem minor, but they can quickly lead to heat loss, moisture intrusion, pest infestations, and further structural deterioration if left unaddressed.

A professional foundation repair often includes:

• Reattaching or replacing damaged skirting panels around the perimeter of the home
• Sealing gaps where the skirting has pulled away from the structure due to shifting or warping
• Inspecting and repairing the underbelly barrier, which protects your plumbing, insulation, and subfloor from the elements
• Adding or repairing access panels to ensure proper ventilation and service access

Upgrading Drainage or Moisture Barriers to Prevent Future Settling

One of the most important aspects of any foundation repair is preventing the same problem from happening again. In Michigan, poor drainage and seasonal soil saturation are among the top causes of foundation instability—especially in mobile homes with shallow support systems.

Drainage upgrades may include:

• Regrading the soil around your home to direct water away from the foundation
• Extending downspouts or adding splash blocks to reduce pooling at corners
• Installing French drains or perimeter drain systems to keep water from soaking the ground under your home
• Laying vapor barriers in the crawlspace to block rising ground moisture and control humidity
• Checking for and sealing plumbing leaks, which can quietly erode the soil around piers and footers over time

Protect the Integrity of Your Home Year-Round

Late summer isn’t just a time to wind down from the heat—it’s the perfect window to check in on the health of your home’s foundation before the challenges of fall and winter set in. After months of shifting soil, dry conditions, and sudden storms, your home may already be experiencing the subtle effects of settling—effects that can worsen quickly if left unaddressed.

Mobile and manufactured homes are especially susceptible to foundation movement because of their surface-level supports and lightweight construction. But the good news is: settling is both common and fixable—especially when caught early. With proper inspection and timely repair, issues like uneven floors, sticking doors, and cracked skirting can be corrected before they threaten your home’s structure or safety.

By taking action now, you can prevent winter frost from locking in damage, avoid more costly repairs in the spring, and ensure your home stays level, secure, and energy-efficient through every season.

Schedule Your Foundation Inspection With Homesaver

Don’t let foundation settling go unchecked. Whether you’ve noticed signs of shifting or just want peace of mind before the cold weather hits, Homesaver Contracting Company is here to help.

📍 Location: 680 Quatro Lane, Addison Township, MI 48367
📞 Call Today: (586) 610-8608
📧 Email: homesavercontractingco@gmail.com
🌐 Website: www.homesaverremodeling.com