Foundation Watering Soaker Hose Tips

Advanced Foundation Repair shares Foundation Watering Tips – Learn How to From the Set-Up to How Often You Should Water

Expand your foundation maintenance program with these foundation watering soaker hose tips.

(United States, Dallas) August 17, 2011

This summer’s record breaking heat is sucking Texas soils dry and cracking building foundations. Advanced Foundation Repair, LP is seeing growing numbers of homeowners across the state experiencing telltale signs: cracking foundations, cracking brickwork, cracking sheet rock, doors sticking or doors not closing. The biggest question asked is “Does foundation watering work and if so how do you water your house foundation?”.

Foundation Problem Signs

How do you know if you should water your foundation? It is time to water your foundation if you have any of these foundation problems:

• Cracking foundation
• Doors or windows sticking or not closing
• Exterior walls cracking such as zigzagging cracks in bricks
• Interior walls cracking such as cracks in sheetrock and cracking tiles
• Sloping counters or floors

Foundation Watering Soaker Hose System

You’ve found the telltale foundation problem signs so how do you set up a foundation watering system? There are several ways to go. The most common is a foundation watering soaker hose system.

Foundation Watering Tip:

• Measure the area around your house where you can lay a soaker hose.
• Purchase enough hose to run the length measured for. You can purchase soaker hoses at any hardware / home repair store such as Home Depot or Lowes.

TIP: We’ve also found that many homeowners like to get a three way spigot splitter so that they can run soaker hoses in both directions around the house for foundation watering, leaving an extra connection for garden hoses. TIP: Another option is a spigot timer so that you can set how long and often you would like to water the foundation. TIP: If you use the timer with a splitter, make sure to close any openings not connected to the soaker hoses so no excess water is flowing.

• Create a shallow trench around your house that is 3 inches deep and 6 inches from the foundation.

TIP: Don’t place the soaker hoses any closer to the house when foundation watering. If the soaker hose is too close to the home, when the dry soil cracks, the water can follow the cracks under your home and create additional problems.

• Connect your soaker hoses to the spigot and then lay the soaker hose down in the trench.
• Loosely cover the soaker hose using the soil loosened from creating the trench.

Foundation Watering Schedule

Water more during hot, dry weather and less during cold, damp weather. The goal is to maintain a constant moisture level in the soil so that soil below the surface is damp – not soggy and not dry.

• Start in the dry summer months with a daily watering regime.
• With the current drought, you should water at least 2 hours a day. It is best to water at night to reduce water loss to evaporation.

TIP: Use a screwdriver as a quick test to see if you need more or less water. Stick the screwdriver into the soil. Water more if it comes up dry. Water less if it comes up caked in mud. TIP: Review the trees around the building. A single large tree can remove as much as 150 gallons of water, or almost 20 cubic feet of water, from the soil each day. Shrubs and other plants can also remove large quantities of water. Roots under your foundations can cause foundation damage by drying out the soil under your foundation and causing your foundation to settle.

• Soils dry out during cold, dry months so remember to water during dry spells in the cold months.

TIP: If using a timer, adjust the timer for seasonal changes in moisture. Remember to turn it off after a good rain or snow and then to turn it back on when it starts to dry out again.

Additional Resources for Foundation Watering:

• Watch the Video for More Foundation Watering Tips

Advanced Foundation Repair is a Texas-based business. They specialize in foundation repair through both preventive applications and repairs. Offering foundation irrigation systems, drainage solutions, root and moisture barriers, plumbing services, construction services, foundation maintenance programs, and foundation repairs, Advanced is able to provide residential and commercial building owners with multi-tiered foundation and construction solutions.