Foundation Care: Extra Important during Summer Months

The clay soils of North Texas can contract and expand at an alarming rate, especially during our hot and dry summer months. When the supporting soil around your foundation is too dry (or too wet), significant damage can occur within a very short period of time.

In addition to allowing the soil to become dry, other primary causes of foundation damage include:

• Improper drainage
• Excess watering near the foundation
• Plumbing leaks
• Runoff water not properly diverted away from the foundation
• Trees and large bushes growing too close to the foundation

You can avoid foundation damage by following these suggestions for an effective maintenance program:

Drainage

Maintain the grading and planting beds around your foundation to slope away from the structure. The soil around a house settles with time and additional topsoil will be needed. Use a clay soil. Do not use sand, which is porous.

It is best to keep at least two to four inches of concrete showing below the brick or siding. Soil above the brick line will allow water, wood ants and termites to penetrate into the house.

Avoid standing water in the area of the foundation. The yard should have drainage channels (often called swales) to route rainwater away from the structure.
Gutters should be maintained and free of debris. All runoff water should be diverted well away (2-3 feet) from the foundation. Water from flowerbeds should be carefully diverted away from the foundation.

Watering

If the soil around the exterior of the home becomes excessively dry, it will shrink or crack, often leaving a gap between the soil and the foundation. These cracks admit air which causes more evaporation and more cracking.

When heavy rains occur, the crack allows excessive amounts of water to be introduced directly to load bearing soils beneath their foundation. When the soils become supersaturated, they lose their bearing capacity and rapid settlement can result.

The goal for proper foundation maintenance should be to maintain a consistently high level of moisture in the soil to eliminate the swelling and contracting cycles. This can be accomplished through a proper watering program.
In periods of hot, dry weather conditions, daily watering with your sprinkler system, by hand or with a soaker hose will probably be necessary. In cooler weather, watering once or twice a week should be enough. The key is not to allow cracking to occur within four or five feet or your foundation.

Trees, Shrubs and Foliage

Large trees and shrubs that have been planted too close to the foundation can cause significant foundation damage because their roots grow toward moist soil (underneath your house) and will extend out as far as the tree will grow.

You should plant trees and bushes that will become large at an adequate distance from the house. If you already have large trees or bushes near your home, you can install a root barrier that will sever existing roots and prevent new ones from growing under the foundation.