The footing and foundation of your home are similar to the feet and legs of the human body. The footing of your home holds the structure firmly to the ground and supports the foundation. In turn, the foundation carries the full weight of your house. Foundations are made using several materials, including treated wood, stones, and blocks, but in the vast majority reinforced concrete is used. Irrespective of the foundation construction material, you should be aware of some of the problems that can happen to it and look out for them.
Ensure Foundation Soils Are Consistently Moist
For your foundation to remain strong, you should maintain proper and consistent moisture levels. During the dry periods, it is necessary to keep the foundation of your home moist to avoid causing shrinkage of the soil. You can keep the soil around your home moist by installing rock beds 20″ away from the foundation. The rock beds will allow water from the rain and sprinklers to infiltrate deeper into the soil near your home. However, be careful not to add excess water to the soil. One rule of thumb to control this water is by using only enough water to keep your landscape and plants healthy.
Repair Foundation Cracks
With time, concrete slabs can develop cracks, and regardless of their size, these cracks can damage the foundation of your home if they are not repaired. Foundation Engineers determine a minor crack by its severity and not the size. Therefore, before repairing these cracks, it is necessary to monitor them and look for any changes in length and width. You can monitor the changes in these cracks by using concrete crack measuring devices like those offered at Certified Material Testing Products. Ideally, purchase devices that can measure lengths, width, and the location of the cracks. In case these cracks become wider or increase in length, you should consider calling a foundation inspector.
Check Tree Placement
When trees are too close to the foundation of your house, they can harm your foundation and cause expensive repairs. Large trees absorb a lot of water every day. Therefore, if there are trees near your house the thirsty roots of these trees can cause damage by shrinking the soil near the foundation. To prevent soil shrinkage, a root barrier should be installed.
You can shield the foundation of your home and reduce the chances of incurring high repair expenses by following these tips. Also, it is advisable to conduct an annual inspection as a part of your foundation maintenance plan.