Undeniably, owning a house is a massive responsibility. In addition to looking after its security, you have to carry out regular maintenance and repairs.At times, the rainwater starts dripping from ceilings, whereas sometimes, the water accumulation in soil weakens the home’s foundation.
Ignoring these issues will lead to a greater risk of severe and expensive damages down the line.After all, the foundation is the single most crucial part of every home since the entire structure relies on it.Therefore, you have to stay on top of these problems and fix them immediately. Primarily, when the moisture leaves the soil and returns unevenly, it creates cracks in the foundation.
As a result, the ground expands and weakens the home’s foundation. To avoid this problem, you have to control the water on your property. Perhaps, you can improve the sprinkler system, drain water, and clean the gutters.
These preventive measures will secure your foundation against damage, keeping your home safe.If you wish to learn about the preventive measures in detail, have a look below. Here are six expert tips to prevent foundation damage in your house.
Table Of Contents
1.  Repair Cracks Immediately
Undoubtedly, even discovering a minor crack in a home’s foundation can be unsettling. Still, many homeowners tend to ignore it, considering a small gap can’t cause any damage to the foundation.
In reality, minor cracks are more like an indicator of extensive damage to the home’s foundation. Hence, you have to look for repairs immediately.
The best solution is to call your local foundation expert to learn about the damage caused by the crack.For this, you have to search on the local search engine. If you reside in Connecticut, look up asphalt sealing Stamford CT, to get experts who know how to cover cracks with seal coating.
With knowledgeable assistance and craft, your home’s foundation will get fixed in no time. In addition to filling the gaps, the experts will ensure walls and foundations stay intact.
2.  Drain Water from the Building
During the rainy days, a lot of water pools around the house. And when ample water is present on the ground, it can cause the soil to expand. In turn, it puts pressure on the walls of the foundation, causing significant damage.
Fortunately, you can prevent this by draining water from the building or your residential property. Typically, downspouts are super effective at directing rainwater away from your property.
It disposes the water to another location, keeping the foundation safe.Besides, for commercial buildings, ground drains can come in handy. It moves the water to a discharge point, eliminating water accumulation in the areas near the foundation.
Precisely, it pumps the water from underground, which is necessary to prevent damage.
3.  Fix Unknown Plumbing Issues
Another leading cause of foundation damage is plumbing problems. Homeowners often ignore leakages, thinking of them as petty issues. The leaks under foundation slabs that occur in the sewer or freshwater lines can severely damage the foundation.
In addition, it will lead to costly repairs. Thus, whenever you suspect or notice any signs of leakages and see water dripping, contact your plumber immediately. The plumber will perform an inspection to find a leaking spot.
Whether it is close to the home’s foundation or not, you have to get it fixed quickly. Sometimes, the leakage is happening due to weak walls, indirectly affecting the foundation.
Hence, it might not affect the foundation in the short run but will cause severe damages after a few years. It means you shouldn’t think twice or wait to get plumbing repairs.
4.  Improve Sprinkler System
Reducing moisture in the yard and around the house is essential, but you have to maintain the soil. Sometimes, homeowners let their soil run dry to prevent foundation damage. In case the clay starts drying up, it will contract, creating a different set of problems. Therefore, improve the sprinkler system or install an intelligent sprinkler at your home.
An advanced sprinkler might seem like a costly investment, but it would save you loads of money in the longer run.You can connect the system and soaker hose with intelligent home features or pH meter.
It will enable the system to check the soil and adjust moisture levels automatically. Moreover, innovative sprinkler systems can assess weather conditions. If there hasn’t been raining enough in your region, it will ensure the foundation gets the right amount of moisture. Hence, it will prevent the clay from contracting and keep the home’s foundation intact.
5.  Clean Gutters and Spouts
At times, full gutters and clogged spouts can become a threat to the home’s foundation. It can result in leaks pouring right over the gutter walls. In addition to weakening the foundation, it creates cracks in the walls that often go unnoticed.
After all, who inspects the underground walls now and then? In addition, you have to ensure the spouts and gutters aren’t redirecting onto the ground around the foundation. The high water pressure will increase moisture while damaging the foundation.
In short, you must clean your gutters and clear the drains every three months. You have to call out a professional plumbing team to inspect the underground walls while removing the gutters. Having unblocked drains and clean gutters will keep the moisture levels stable, preventing damage to the house’s foundation.
6.  Keep Plants Away from the House
As water poses a significant risk to the foundation, plants and shrubs can be equally dangerous. The trees spread their roots into the ground, and soon, it pushes into the area surrounding the home’s foundation.
You may think there’s nothing wrong with that, but the heavy branches can create cracks and damage the foundation in no time.
Moreover, the trees and shrubs will take out moisture from the soil, causing it to contract. It can form cracks as the foundation will sit unevenly.
There are two ways to go about this problem—first, plant trees far away from your property. Second, install a root barrier around the home’s structure. It will prevent the tree roots from reaching the foundation walls.
Wrapping Up
The foundation problems occur in the first place because of the building materials being of low quality. You might not be able to build the house all over again, but you can prevent foundation damage. Perhaps, you can adopt innovative preventive measures to ensure the home’s foundation remains intact.
You have to maintain moisture levels, keep the plants away, fix plumbing issues, and drain water from the building. Most importantly, you don’t have to delay repairs. Whether it is a small crack or leakage – fix these problems at your earliest possible.
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