Foundation damage can wreck the integrity of your house, not to mention hit your bank account balance really hard. Luckily, there are ways that you can protect your foundation. Some of these methods are particularly useful for the coming hot months of a Texas summer in Fort Worth.
- Get your foundation inspected – One of the best things you can do to protect your foundation is to get it inspected at least once every year. A thorough inspection by a professional foundation repair company will tell you if your foundation has any minor or major issues. This also allows you to get repairs completed that are far less expensive than big repairs.
- Clear out your gutters – Most homes have gutters, especially if they’re newly built homes. If they’re blocked or clogged from leaves and other debris, then their ability to drain water will be affected. This could eventually cause excess water to get to your foundation and cause damage.
- Check walls for cracks – Check both your interior and exterior walls for any cracks. Though there could be a few causes, racks are often a telltale sign of foundation damage. Another helpful hint here is to know about the different types of cracks and how serious they can be.
- Check your foundation for cracks – Just like your walls, you should especially check your foundation for cracks as well. Cracks in your foundation are a sure sign that there is damage. Foundation settling is the most common cause for these cracks, but other things such as water damage (like from bad water drainage) can make cracks worse.
- Check the drainage in your yard – Ensure that your yard properly drains when it rains, or when you water your yard. This is especially important if you live on a hill and the water isn’t draining. When water is able to accumulate and not drain away, its chances for getting into your foundation and causing damage increases.
- Don’t have a proper drain? Get one installed – Water not draining properly when it rains? Is water collecting around your foundation and forming puddles? More than likely, you need to improve the drainage around your foundation. Getting something installed like a french drain can help to lower the mini-floods in your yard and keep excess water away from your foundation.
- Make sure there aren’t trees near the foundation – You should never, ever plant trees anywhere near your foundation. As trees grow, their root system spreads out. A root system also has a tendency to grow towards the best source of water. Let’s take the previous scenario of not having proper drainage around your foundation for excess water. If there is a tree planted close to your foundation, its roots will naturally grow towards the best water source. If that source is right up against your foundation, soon those roots will be right there, too. Roots can severely damage your foundation while also damaging the tree.
- Water your foundation – It’s still Spring in DFW, but our hot summer months are coming. This may sound weird, but during long periods of hot, dry weather you should actually water your foundation. If the soil around your foundation goes a long period of time without any moisture, it will contract. Then if it suddenly rains, that soil will see a drastic expansion which can cause issues with your foundation.
Why Protect My Foundation?
There are a lot of important reasons why you should get your foundation repaired. A foundation in subpar condition can lead to many other issues including more ways for bugs to get into your home and making it easier for mold and mildew to form. While you may think it will be costly to repair your foundation, it will be far more costly if you continue to wait.
Professional Foundation Repair In Fort Worth
Discount Foundation Repair Specialists has been serving Fort Worth and the greater DFW metroplex since 1984. Our professional crews have repaired hundreds of foundations including pier and beam foundations. If your foundation needs repair or you would like to get a free inspection, give us a call today.
