Once you build a home, you want it to last longer, providing your family comfort and safety from environmental elements. Therefore, learning how to protect your house foundation from damage is crucial. The foundation keeps the house structurally sound. It also protects it from damage by various weather elements. Here are the top ways to safeguard a home’s foundation from damage.
Grade the Landscape Correctly
Correct landscape grading involves achieving the right balance between appearance and function. Proper grading keeps rainwater away from the foundation. Also, it ensures your landscape has a safe slope for humans. Therefore, identify areas where water can pool and use edging materials, like bricks and rocks, to create a gradient that will guide water away from the foundation. A little effort is all you need to achieve a functional and beautiful landscape.
Inspect Your Home’s Perimeter
Check the home’s perimeter for breakage signs or cracks. Also, ensure the siding, wood, vinyl, brick, or other exterior coverings are a few inches above the foundation. Debris and dirt can shrink the foundation’s clearance, creating a place where moisture can invade your foundation. Therefore, remove materials, dirt, and debris near the foundation to enhance this clearance. Ensure the coverings are at least 6 inches above the foundation’s bottom.
Install Gutters
Rain gutter installation is an excellent home improvement that protects the foundation from water damage. Also, it improves your property’s appeal. Rainwater can run off the roof to pool around the foundation without gutters, causing severe damage. For instance, mold can grow and weaken your home’s foundation over time.
With proper installation, rain gutters drain water away from your house, directing it away from the foundation. You extend your house’s foundation longevity and avoid costly repairs by installing gutters.
Inspect Your Home’s Foundation Regularly
Inspecting the foundation will help you spot and repair cracks before they escalate. A wall or floor crack can indicate a significant problem. Also, it can cause damage to other parts of the building if you don’t fix it. Therefore, inspect your property routinely for irregularities around door frames, windows, and ceilings. Cracks in these areas could hint at structural damage that needs immediate repair.
Additionally, inspect the house for sudden outdoor airflow changes and water penetration. If you detect and fix minor issues early, you can prevent further damage to your home’s foundation.
Remove the Trees Near Your Home (If Absolutely Necessary)
A tree with an extensive root system absorbs much water daily. Therefore, a tree growing near your home can soak up moisture from the soil, shrinking the ground and disturbing the foundation. Also, an aggressive root system can shift the foundation. Therefore, ensure only small trees grow near your house. Also, ensure they are at least 10 feet from the house. Tall shrubs and climbing vines can trap moisture and prevent air circulation against the foundation and walls. So, ensure you prune or trim them more often to avoid damage to your home’s foundation.
Knowing how to protect your home’s foundation from damage will enable your property to retain structural integrity and last longer. Follow these tips from our local professional foundation repair contractors to keep your house’s foundation in good shape longer.
Grade the Landscape Correctly
Correct landscape grading involves achieving the right balance between appearance and function. Proper grading keeps rainwater away from the foundation. Also, it ensures your landscape has a safe slope for humans. Therefore, identify areas where water can pool and use edging materials, like bricks and rocks, to create a gradient that will guide water away from the foundation. A little effort is all you need to achieve a functional and beautiful landscape.
Inspect Your Home’s Perimeter
Check the home’s perimeter for breakage signs or cracks. Also, ensure the siding, wood, vinyl, brick, or other exterior coverings are a few inches above the foundation. Debris and dirt can shrink the foundation’s clearance, creating a place where moisture can invade your foundation. Therefore, remove materials, dirt, and debris near the foundation to enhance this clearance. Ensure the coverings are at least 6 inches above the foundation’s bottom.
Install Gutters
Rain gutter installation is an excellent home improvement that protects the foundation from water damage. Also, it improves your property’s appeal. Rainwater can run off the roof to pool around the foundation without gutters, causing severe damage. For instance, mold can grow and weaken your home’s foundation over time.
With proper installation, rain gutters drain water away from your house, directing it away from the foundation. You extend your house’s foundation longevity and avoid costly repairs by installing gutters.
Inspect Your Home’s Foundation Regularly
Inspecting the foundation will help you spot and repair cracks before they escalate. A wall or floor crack can indicate a significant problem. Also, it can cause damage to other parts of the building if you don’t fix it. Therefore, inspect your property routinely for irregularities around door frames, windows, and ceilings. Cracks in these areas could hint at structural damage that needs immediate repair.
Additionally, inspect the house for sudden outdoor airflow changes and water penetration. If you detect and fix minor issues early, you can prevent further damage to your home’s foundation.
Remove the Trees Near Your Home (If Absolutely Necessary)
A tree with an extensive root system absorbs much water daily. Therefore, a tree growing near your home can soak up moisture from the soil, shrinking the ground and disturbing the foundation. Also, an aggressive root system can shift the foundation. Therefore, ensure only small trees grow near your house. Also, ensure they are at least 10 feet from the house. Tall shrubs and climbing vines can trap moisture and prevent air circulation against the foundation and walls. So, ensure you prune or trim them more often to avoid damage to your home’s foundation.
Knowing how to protect your home’s foundation from damage will enable your property to retain structural integrity and last longer. Follow these tips from our local professional foundation repair contractors to keep your house’s foundation in good shape longer.