Protect Your Foundation in Drought Conditions

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Protect Your Foundation in Drought Conditions, A How to for Homeowners

Protect Your Foundation in Drought Conditions, A How to for Homeowners

Knowing how to protect your foundation in drought conditions is a must in Texas. As a homeowner, drought conditions are something to worry about. Lack of water causes shifting and cracking in the foundation of homes. Expansive clay soil becomes extremely dry, the soil contracts and the foundation sinks.

In drought conditions, soil begins to sink in multiple directions. Cracks start to appear inside the home. The cracks tend to appear in the corners of a room’s walls. Another symptom is doors become difficult to open and close.

More extreme signs of damage are:

Pipes Break
Chimneys Shift
Exterior and Interior Bricks crack and separate.

Foundation Watering

Watering your foundation is the best solution to protect your home during a drought. The goal is to maintain consistent soil moisture around the house.

How can you tell if the soil moisture is adequate? Here are the two quick observations:

If you do not see a gap between the soil and the foundation, the soil moisture maintains moisture.
If you see a gap between the soil and the foundation, you must water the ground around your foundation.

TIP: Try these suggestions if you notice a gap between the soil and the foundation.

Plant, grow, and water plants around the foundation (see our Best Foundation Plants for Zone 8 ).
Create a dedicated irrigation zone around the house for simple foundation watering (see Hot Dry Summers and Foundation Watering).

Have you tried everything but still need help? Contact us today to schedule a free foundation inspection.