As a Texas home owner, most typically worry about drought conditions when maintaining crops, cattle and landscapes, but during extended periods, these conditions are also known to cause shifting and cracking in the foundation of homes. Many are unaware how drought conditions can also be created beneath the ground. When expansive clay soil becomes extremely dry, the soil contracts and the foundation sinks.
Unfortunately, when soil begins to sink in multiple directions, one might start to see cracks forming on their walls. When soil is wet again, clay soil expands and lifts the foundation, sometimes closing the cracks. Most homeowners do not notice this shifting until their doors become difficult to open and close or cracks appear, particularly on the corners of walls. More extreme damages occur when a foundation crack causes pipes to break, chimneys to shift and bricks on or inside a home to crack and separate. The best solution is to protect your foundation before this happens by watering the foundation to maintain consistent soil moisture around the home.
During a drought, conserving water is important but a watchful eye will notice a foundation in need of some extra watering. Since dry soil will shrink away from foundations, you can walk around your home to see where the soil is settling, shrinking, or cracking next to the foundation. This might be troubling if you have plants or even mulch aligning your home, but a quick inspection will allow for any home owner to make these observations.
Here are the two quick observations:
- If you do not see a gap between the soil and the foundation, your soil moisture is maintaining moisture.
- If you do see a gap between the soil and the foundation, you need to water the ground around your foundation. A weekly watering routine will accomplish this.
If you notice a gap in between the soil and the foundation, these are a few suggestions to not only keep your foundation moisturized but also conserve the amount of water being used by your home.
- Plant, grow, and routinely water plants around the foundation
- Create a dedicated irrigation zone around the house for simple watering of foundation
- Water the foundation by attaching drip irrigation or soaker hose to an outdoor faucet with a timer.
If you find the conditions to need the services of a profession, make a call to Advanced Foundation Repair, where we can resolve those cracks issues and prevent more from arising.