Looking after your foundation is very crucial. With no proper foundation, your house is prone to serious structural problems and will eventually and gradually begin to crumble down. Nobody wants to experience their beloved home sweet home being crumbled down to ashes and dust. Hence, care and maintenance of your home foundation are necessary.
Read on for some tips on the very same and thank us later.
- Schedule a regular plumbing inspection.
It is advisable to practice inspection yearly. One of the biggest foundation issues is plumbing leaks. Inspect for leaks in sprinkler systems, freshwater lines, sewer lines and other parts of your plumbing system. In case of any plumbing leak, consult a professional plumber as quickly as possible. He will run a hydrostatic testing which will help in identifying the plumbing issues.
- Install a root barrier
In the presence of root barrier, it will help in protecting your foundation from invasive root systems. It can also cause heaving in driveways and sidewalks, cracking in walls and sometimes sewer lines issues. Root barrier is typically installed thirty inches deep and is formulated by a thick rudder. These root barriers help in keeping the roots from your property at bay.
- Protect your foundation from large trees
Who doesn’t like a huge tree in front of their homes? Many of us are not aware that it also poses a significant threat to the foundation of your home. As trees require moisture to survive, it sucks up the water from the soil which is surrounding your home through the process of transpiration. This, in turn, damages the foundation of your home. Hence, avoid planting trees like Maples, Elm, Magnolia, Chinese Pistach, Live Oak, and Bradford Pear.
- Ensure that your house is on a proper slope.
An ideal slope is the one that makes the water flow away from your foundation. This is also referred to as a Positive Slope. And the vice versa is called the Negative Slope. The latter is detrimental to your foundation. Hence, it is important to properly grade your house. Experts suggest that your yard should be two percent or ¼ inch per foot, or two inches in eight feet. You can grade it yourself or hire a professional expert to do it.
- Ensure a quality drainage system.
Foundation upheaval occurs when the foundation itself has risen above its original position. The common cause of this upheaval is negative sloping. It causes the water to flow towards your foundation and damaging it further. Gutters and downspouts should also be cleaned regularly.
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