Drought: houses more and more prone to cracks in Île-de-France

Cracks appeared 20 years ago. Others, only a few months ago. Aurelian Simonota resident of Pré-Saint-Gervais (Seine-Saint-Denis), tried to seal some of these cracks, but they reopened. A worrying situation for this resident who fears for the solidity of his house. “I brought in an engineer who guaranteed us that the house was not in danger of collapsing”indicates the owner. His house is built on clay soil and is a victim of the swelling shrinkage phenomenon.

1.15 million homes affected

During periods of drought, the soil shrinks. Then, with the rain, they swell and cause cracks in buildings. According to a recent study, in Île-de-France, 1.15 million of houses would be affected. In six municipalities, including Le Pré-Saint-Gervais, 100% individual houses would be exhibited. With global warming, more and moreinhabitants will be concerned and often forced into expensive labor. To solidify the basements, a company injects a resin under the slab of the house. In the Paris region, more than three-quarters of soils are affected by the risk of swelling shrinkage, compared to half nationally.