Preparing Your Home's Foundation For Summer

3 Easy Steps To Maintaining Your Home's Foundation

There's no doubt that Texas is one of the best places to live, thanks to its beautiful weather, friendly people, and virtually unlimited recreational opportunities. While there are many benefits to residing in the Lone Star State, the elevated clay content within the soil presents challenges to homeowners seeking to maintain the integrity of their home's foundation. Due to its chemical composition, clay is highly vulnerable to seasonal changes, expanding and contracting significantly as the weather warms and cools. As the weather warms, the moisture content within the clay evaporates, causing it to shrink and contract, which can cause your foundation to crack, buckle, and sag. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to prepare your home's foundation for summer and protect against possible damage, keeping your home safe for years to come. 

Inspect Your Foundation

Regularly inspecting your foundation is the best way to identify possible issues early, saving you significant money in the long run. Take a few minutes every month to walk around your home and check the foundation for signs of damage, including cracking, soil shrinkage, and pulling away from its structure. You should also have a foundation repair contractor specializing in Texas' unique soil composition inspect your home at least once a year for a more thorough examination of the entire slab and structure. 

Remove Trees and Shrubs Planted Near Your Home

While landscaping is one of the best ways to add curb appeal to your home, it could also cause harm to your foundation. Trees, larger plants, and shrubs draw water from the soil, causing it to dry up and shrink faster, especially during droughts. To fix the issue, you can either relocate plants to a safer distance away from your home or install a root barrier system that will keep them from damaging your foundation, driveway, and walkways. 

Regularly Water Your Foundation

While watering your grass and landscaping is common, Texans should also regularly water their foundations during the summer months. Since dried-out soil can cause the foundation to crack, slope, and break, reintroducing moisture is one of the most effective ways to ensure the integrity of your foundation and attached structure. Using a sprinkler system with a built-in timer set about eighteen inches from your home is the best way to help maintain a steady moisture level and prevent problems from occurring or worsening. It is important to note that you want to avoid standing water on the foundation slab, so be sure to monitor that the drainage system is working effectively. 

Protecting your home's foundation is essential, especially during the hot, dry summer months. Texas Foundation Experts has served Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas, and the surrounding areas for over twenty years, providing unparalleled service that highlights our commitment to excellence. As members of the community, we believe in treating our customers with integrity, answering all of your questions, and providing a customized plan of action for every project. No matter how large or small the job, we are here to provide exceptional service you can trust. When quality and reliability matter, call Texas Foundation Experts - DFW Metroplex's premier foundation repair contractors.