How Can I Prevent Foundation Problems!

Continuing drought and dry, wet, then dry again conditions can take their toll on your foundation. Please take time to maintain and protect your most valuable investment - your home. Otherwise, damage to your foundation may end up costing you $1,000's of dollars in repair.

Soil in our area of North Texas contains a lot of clay that expands when wet and shrinks when dry. This wet/dry effect causes your foundation to move and that is what causes problems. Repeated variations in soil moisture cause movement and undue stress to the foundation resulting in broken and unlevel floors, masonry cracking, and misalignment of doors and windows.

Maintaining your foundation is like raising up your kids. It likes consistency. Not too wet and not too dry, 24-7, 12 months a year.

Here are a few simple things you can do to minimize the chances of having expensive foundation repair:

1. When you water, or when it rains make certain that the drainage flows away from the foundation. Don't allow water to "pool" around your foundation. Too much water is just as damaging as not enough. Make sure the level of your soil does not extend above the bricks.

2. Make sure that gutters and downspout flow rain water away from the foundation.

3. Large trees or shrubs can consume tremendous amounts of water and should not be planted next to foundation. Do not allow the roots of large trees to extend under foundations. A barrier may be necessary between your trees and foundation.

This is not a major undertaking and can be done by any landscape company.

4. Whenever cracking of soil occurs or soil is noted to be pulling away from foundation, it is a signal that moisture levels are too low. Water should be applied in a slow, systematic manner using an automatic sprinkler system or a soaker hose. Water until you see some runoff. During the summer this should be done a couple of  times a week. Keep it moist in the winter, too.

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