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Fun Facts: The largest trees in the world are the California Sequoia (Sequoiadendron Giganteum).  As their scientific name implies, they are giants.  The largest tree is the General Grant with a diameter of 28.9 feet and a circumference of 87 feet. ...

In Texas, on average, the hottest three weeks of the year are the last week of July and the first two weeks of August.  When we get days with peak temperatures over 100 degrees, they are most often concentrated in this three week period.  Late summer...

To understand why soils shrink and swell, you need to understand water molecules and clay molecules. Each water molecule is made of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. Each of the hydrogen atoms shares its electron with the oxygen atom. Thus, water...

Nobody wants to see cracks of any kind in their foundation. But vertical foundation cracks and horizontal foundation cracks can indicate very different issues, so if you’ve got cracks in your foundation, you should know a bit about the difference between...

Pier and beam homes are homes with a space between the floor and the ground.  The space between the floor and the ground is called the crawlspace.  As the name implies, the spaces are usually (but not always) so low that you cannot stand up and must crawl...

For purposes of foundation repairs, chimneys can be divided into two groups: 1)  masonry chimneys, and 2) non-masonry chimneys.  The distinction is important because masonry fireplaces with masonry chimneys are very heavy.  A typical three- by six-foot...

Today, most residential foundations are made of concrete.  The typical foundation actually rests on the ground and is referred to as a slab-on-grade foundation or a floating foundation.  As we all know, the soils move up and down.  A slab that rests...

In Texas, everybody knows that you need to water your foundation during the summer.  It is also common knowledge that if you do not water your foundation, you are risking foundation damage.What most people do not realize is that winter droughts can also...

With respect to freezing and foundations, Texas can be divided into two areas: anyplace where the ground will freeze to a depth below six inches, and the rest of the state.  Generally, the only places where the ground will freeze are west Texas and the...

The summer has ended, Labor Day has come and gone, and the temperatures have dropped below 90 degrees.  The days when the weather is sucking water out of the ground are over, or are they?  Most homeowners assume that they no longer need to water their...