Prevent foundation issues with these easy tips. You may feel like the state of your home’s foundation is entirely dependent on environmental factors, but it’s not. There are several measures you can take to protect your foundation and retain your home’s structural integrity.
Grading
Grading the soil around your foundation is an effective way of directing any excess water away from your home instead of toward it. Luckily, newer buildings that are being constructed have been addressing this issues by building foundations 6 inches above the highest soil point on a lot. For existing homes, owners should work to slope the soil grade away from the foundation. This can be tricky on flat lots, though. For homeowners with flat lots, see the following tips.
Downspouts
All homes have gutters to catch the rain and prevent damage to the home. However, many homes have downspouts that dump water directly at the home’s foundation. This can disrupt and shift the soil, causing your foundation to shift and even crack. To solve this problem, you can buy downspout extenders for as little as $15 from your local hardware or home improvement store. As long as the water is let out at least 10 feet away from your home, your foundation should be safe.
Maintaining Soil
If you let the soil around your home get too dry between rains, then it will shrink up. This will come back to haunt you during the next heavy rainfall, because the constricted soil will expand once it fills with water. And this expansion can shift your foundation and cause cracks and other structural damage. However, if you water the soil regularly with a hose between rainfalls, then you can avoid this issue entirely.
Tree Roots
Shrub and tree roots need a lot of moisture and they can dry out the soil around your house. This can cause your foundation to settle unevenly and ultimately crack. Tree roots can also disrupt your foundation slowly by growing up underneath and even breaking through it. To avoid both of these issues, plant trees and shrubs with deep roots at a safe distance from the house.
So there you have it. 4 simple ways to prevent foundation issues. And if, despite your best efforts, you do end up getting a foundation crack or other structural issue, call ProCare Restoration right away. Our technicians are trained and experienced in foundation repair and are dedicated to providing you with high quality customer service!
