8 Tips Homeowners Can Use to Prevent Expensive Foundation Repairs
The most beautiful home can become less than nothing if it doesn’t have a great foundation. But home foundation repairs can get pricey very quickly. Minor issues can cost tens of thousands of dollars!
For this reason, it’s vital that you do everything in your power to stop foundation damage from happening. You’ll learn some ways that you can do just that.
1. Examine Your Home’s Perimeter
First, look for cracks in the foundation. At this time, you should also ensure that the siding, vinyl, wood, brick, and other coverings are at least six feet from the bottom of your foundation. Debris under your foundation can create a place for moisture to get in at the top. Clear away dirt and debris during your inspection of this area.
2. Is The Ground Sloping Away From Your Foundation?
Runoff water should flow away from your home instead of getting into the cracks of your foundation. Make sure that the ground does not slope towards your home.
3. Does Water Pool Near Your Foundation?
After it rains, see if any water pools near your home. If pools appear, fill them in with dirt. If you notice any pool deck problems like sloping concrete pool deck, pool deck cracks, loss of pool water or even separation at coping due to poor pool construction or heavy concrete slab, then you need to contact a professional foundation repair company asap.
4. What Changes Are Happening Around Your Property?
Do you have a neighbor who is putting in landscaping on their property? Or maybe they made changes to their drainage system. Any of these significant changes can change your home’s drainage system. If any of this happens, take proactive steps so that your home’s drainage system stays in its current condition.
5. Clean Out Your Home’s Gutters
Take out dirt and debris from your home’s gutters at least twice a year. You can use tools such as gutter guards to make this particular job easier. But don’t remove the debris and then dump it on the ground and leave it there. Doing this could result in pooling.
Inspect your gutters to make sure that they don’t have any cracks, gaps, or holes in them. Also, check to see if water flows through your gutters as they should.
6. Look At Your Home’s Downspouts
Inspect your downspouts to ensure that there are no cracks present. Make sure that they route water away from your home’s foundation. You want to ensure that the water coming from your downspouts isn’t just pooling on the ground near your home.
7. Monitor Your Home’s Foliage
Cut vines or plants near your home’s exterior. You don’t want them to mess with your home’s air circulation process. When this happens, moisture gets trapped against your house when the foliage gets wet.
Don’t plant foliage too close to your home’s foundation. These plants can end up soaking up moisture. Some of this moisture from the plants actually keeps your home’s foundation from forming cracks.
8. Start Watering Your Home’s Foundation
When your local area goes through a drought period, your home’s foundation could end up shrinking. During your area’s droughts, water your foundation periodically.
