This humble blog about foundation repair from the home owners point of view is written from a region is the U.S. where we have wide areas and tens of thousands of homes with slab foundations built on heavy clay soils.
The trouble with clay dirt is that it expands when it gets wet and shrinks when it gets dry. And that means the soils our houses sit on are swelling and shrinking depending on the weather. Cycles of rain and then dry periods.
That’s why it’s important to keep and even layer of moisture around the foundation. An affordable way to do that is with soaker hoses. Proper drainage is also important.
The Perma Pier people have a good article on weather and foundations:
Foundation Problems Don’t Wash Away With Rain, Says Perma-Pier
EON: Enhanced Online News (press release)
“Foundation Problems Don’t Wash Away With Rain, Says Perma-Pier. Texas-based company discusses the impact of the wet-dry cycle on soil and home.”
http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120516005962/en/Perma-Pier-Foundation-Repair-of-Texas/Expansive-Texas-clay-soil/Harold-Prather
That’s why it’s important to keep and even layer of moisture around the foundation. Proper drainage is also important. You want rain water draining away from the foundation and not ponding.
This video talks about proper drainage around a typical house foundation in very simple terms. Very. Simple. Terms.
So if you can keep even moisture in the soil around your slab foundation and make sure that excess water drains away. Who knows? Maybe you can avoid the cost of foundation repair.
It is really important to check first the soil when building a house.. In this way a homeowner can avoid foundation problems and cost.
I agree. Before building a house, it is really important to check first the soil to avoid foundation problems.
True. And they also have better ways/forms for pouring foundations these days. Thanks Tina.
Yes I agree. It is really important to check first the soil when building a house so that home owners an avoid foundation problems as well as the cost.