Most people today assume that the most important part of their home is the roof. There is a solid ground for this belief; however, we rarely start from the top. Usually, the house is built from the foundation up, meaning that the base of your home plays the most important role. It goes without saying that your roof is responsible for protecting you from the outer influences and impacts that can highly damage your home construction. Yet, your home needs to be stable and sturdy before it gets protected by a roof, which is also known as the first line of defense for your home.

The foundation is the component supporting your home and is responsible for bearing the weight of the construction. Without a solid base, it is just a matter of time before you experience some serious construction damage. Not to forget to mention that the foundation is the part of the home you need to do properly at the beginning of construction since it is not easy to fix if a problem occurs. Truth be told, it is not only the foundation you should pay attention to. The rest of the construction needs to be as sturdy and stable. So, we have prepared a guideline on how to build a sturdy house.

About Foundation

Keeps Moisture Out

Just as we have previously indicated, having a strong and properly built foundation is one of the most important parts of your home for various reasons. It is the base of your home and is responsible for bearing the weight of the entire construction. One of the most important aspects of a sturdy foundation is that it keeps moisture in. Locked moisture does you no good, regardless of where it is found in the house. Yet, the moisture penetrating from the foundation poses a lot of danger. How come? It will cause the construction of your home to deteriorate at the base, which will highly affect the rest of your home’s construction.

When water collects around your home, it soaks the soil and distributes it to your home’s foundation. Also, plant and tree roots can influence the soil in the foundation, making it shift and putting high pressure on it. To this end, a sturdy foundation and proper drainage can keep you on the safe side and will keep the water out of the basement, thereby keeping your home safe and dry regardless of the weather conditions. In addition, damp proofing the foundation wall can also serve as an additional layer of protection and prevent moisture penetration in the basement and through the concrete walls. Keeping water and moisture out of the home and the inner construction of your basement will keep the rest of your home safe from toxic mold and mildew growth and will protect you from structural damage.

Supports the Home

Just as we all know, the foundation is buried under the ground and is found underneath your home. The main aim of the foundation is to hold your house up. Without a foundation, your home will not be able to stay above ground; instead, it will sink into the ground, resulting in cracks all over your house that will eventually lead to the collapse of the construction. With a properly built foundation, your home will stay tall above the ground, and the foundation will keep your home even, supported, and sturdy even when stoked by flood or earthquake.

Constructing a good foundation requires more effort than simply digging too deeply into the ground and pouring in the concrete. Instead, foundations need to be properly tailored and attached to the site. You must take into account things such as geology, water table, soil condition, and even the backfill. It goes without saying that the base needs to be well-established before you resume the rest of the construction work.

Insulates Your Home

An additional reason why you need to consider the foundation of your home as the main part of the construction is that it acts as insulation for the rest of your home. It offers insulating properties that can help you maintain the temperature in your home and even reduce some other problems such as pest infestations, mold and mildew growth, and water nesting in your basement. In fact, a properly executed foundation can save you from some future expenses and can save you tons of money. The insulation of your foundation mainly depends on the type of climate in the area you are living in. Another positive aspect of proper foundation insulation is the energy-proofing of your home, which will eventually result in much lower energy bills.

Roofing: The First Line of Defense

Home Value

One of the most important reasons why you need to have a home that is properly designed and constructed is that it is protected from the outer impacts that can highly damage it. Also, you need to know that your roof is one of the elements that contribute the most to the value of your home. Good roofing enhances curb appeal. If your roof is not properly maintained and there are traces of moss, sags, and algae, it will not give off the impression that the home is worth buying. Just as the folks at North Hills roofing company suggest, not all roof damages require new roofing, but they must be checked by a professional and evaluated. Sometimes, just proper maintenance and repair can do wonders.

The Efficiency of Your Home

The main reason you have such high energy bills is typically due to bad roofing. A roof full of cracks and without proper insulation will cause you more trouble than you thought. Namely, these let out the hot air, which makes your heating systems work harder and harvest more energy so that they can heat up the space. So, a structurally sound roof, sufficient insulation, and proper ventilation will help you decrease heat or air leaks. You will be more comfortable with the regular air conditioning and normal heating, and you will notice that all of the bills will be considerably lower. A sound roof and sturdy construction, in combination with the materials that will preserve the quality and your peace of mind, will make a perfect investment. Since the roofs have a very long period of use, it is an investment that will pay off in the long run. These investments, where your home is protected and your budget is secured, are the ones that contribute to the value of your home.

Knowing When to Replace Your Roof

One of the most important factors is knowing when to replace your roof. The point is that you need to know that a damaged and structurally weak roof can completely destroy your house and cause even greater trouble. Damaged or missing shingles, holes in the attic, and staining are just some of the causes that can make your roof the weakest point of your home and significantly influence the sturdiness of the home. Missing shingles are one of the most common problems you might have with your roof. Typically, you should just add the new ones or replace the damaged ones; however, sometimes there are cases when you need to go with the replacement of the entire structure.

If you have noticed light penetrating through your attic, then there are holes in the roof that you need to solve immediately. The problem is that if you do not solve this issue right away, you will be faced with some greater problems in no time. Widespread staining is yet another indicator that something is terribly wrong with your roof. Stains normally lead to mold and algae growth and can be the reason for weaker and even collapse-prone construction. In addition, the stains on the ceiling and mold indicate that the problem was caused by the leaks. Since water has a fatal long-term impact on the wooden beams, you need to check the entire construction since it can be compromised.

Sturdy Walls

Walls: Short Overview

A wall is a component of the structural system that is responsible for holding the roof structure and forming the interior spaces. The walls are held up by the foundation, which keeps the roof stable and maintains the load path by allowing the roof loads to reach the foundation. The wall, depending on its role in the construction, is responsible for transmitting the gravity and environmental loads back to the foundation. Walls help air circulate around the home and protect it from outer impacts such as floods, wind, and earthquakes.

Walls, to be stable and supportive, need to be strongly anchored so they can sustain wind and various seismic loads. Drainage is one of the most important aspects of home construction; it prevents rainwater from entering the pond and penetrating deeper into the foundation and even deeper into the basement. While constructing your home, you need to make sure there are not any cracks or leaks, since these small rips in the construction may lead to greater problems and even compromise the integrity of the entire structure.

Hence, the main components of the strong walls are the framings and the skeletons. Strong connections and joints will contribute to even greater sturdiness. Multiple layers in the construction, such as insulation, will contribute to the regular temperature in the interior space. Exterior and interior finishes are just small particles backed by the sturdiness and strength of the construction to shield them even more.

Designing Principles: The Laws of Stability

Maintaining the force, or professionally, the “load path,” is like creating a chain that is designed to hold all of the particles together from the roof to the foundation. The path of the load is the continuity of the critical element, especially for protecting your home from loads such as earthquakes or hurricanes since it is the element holding all of the parts of your home together when strong seismic forces and high winds are trying to pull them apart.

Wall Materials: The Essence of Sturdiness

When constructing your home, it is of the utmost importance to always maintain contact with your architect and see what the best options are when it comes to stability and sturdiness. You need to consult the engineer and see what the best wall materials are for the design of your home. A structural system composed of trusses, floor joints, wood rafters, wall studs,  columns, and beams will give you both an applied interior and a smooth exterior. But let us start from the top. You need to distinguish between two types of walls: structural and non-structural walls. Concrete walls are the only structural walls since they can carry the weight of the entire structure. The concrete used for the construction of walls is basically crushed stone mixed with cement and water. After that, the concrete is poured into the forms or molds on the site. Concrete walls are known to be the strongest and sturdiest since they are combined with rebars and steel bars and provide your home with strength.

Other types of non-structural materials include plywood panels, gypsum boards, concrete blocks, fiber cement boards, and some others.

Wall Systems: Explained

The most important thing about the walls is to build a resilient and strong wall system, which you must discuss with your engineer. A wood frame is basically a combination of beams, columns, and stud-frame walls that are responsible for maintaining the direct and continuous load path from the roof to the foundation. Another very reliable type of wall system is composed of concrete columns that are poured into molds. Concrete beams and columns are very sturdy and will add to the stability of your home. Besides, these beams need to be executed properly; otherwise, there will be consequences for the entire construction.

The sturdiness of your home is reflected in multiple things, with the foundation, walls, and roofing being the most important ones as the construction carriers. Proper materials and project execution in the building will result in a steady and stable home that will be able to sustain even the strongest loads, such as intense seismic activity.