Three Home Foundation Maintenance Tips

Residential repairs can be extremely costly, which is why before things lead to a major house foundation repair, it’s important to make sure you protect that part of your home. Here are some foundation maintenance tips that can help you: 
 
1. Monitor Cracks 
Never ignore the cracks on your floors because it may indicate that your house’s foundation needs attention. Once you’ve spotted these cracks, it’s crucial for you to monitor them closely and note if there’s a significant change in the following days.  
 
You should also take note if the cracks widen when it was exposed to rain or extreme temperatures. If as days go by, the cracks increase in length, become wider, and even extend to the walls, then it’s better to call a house foundation repair expert to look at it. 
 
Another thing you should watch out for is foundation cracks. Unlike common cracks on the floor, they can’t be spotted that easily and you have to check them from the basement or crawlspace.
 
They can be caused by a lot of factors like extreme heat, earthquakes, too dry or wet soil, and slab leaks. Slab leaks are especially tricky since they’re hardly noticeable. They’re caused by plumbing problems wherein a pipe is damaged or improperly installed.
 
A prolonged slab leak can erode the soil in which your foundation is sitting on. And when it does, it causes the foundation to shift. Eventually, the house or at least a portion of it eventually collapses.
 
2. Make Sure Your Property Is Correctly Sloped 
A good way to avoid overwatering the soil around your house is by making sure that your foundation is on a proper slope. This way, the water drains away instead of seeping deep into the soil. If in case, your house isn’t sloped properly, installing a moisture barrier around your property is a great way to keep the water at bay. 
 
3. Don’t Plant Large Trees Closely to Your House
Plants and trees definitely enhance the appearance of one’s home. But there are also cases where they can be a problem by ruining your foundation. Trees, massive trees, also need to “drink” a massive amount of water for it to grow.  
 
When you plant a huge tree close to your home, its tree roots can compete with the soil around your house’s foundation for water. And since you can’t really control how much water the tree can intake, it can really dry up the soil in which your house is built upon. Too much dry soil is just as bad as too much wet soil. It can do just as much damage to your house’s foundation. 
 
Turn to A+ Environmental, Inc.
At A+ Environmental, Inc., we do our best to help homeowners protect the foundation of their homes. So, for house foundation repairs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team. Give us a call today.