What is more important to your home than its foundation – other than providing a level platform for your house to rest upon, its’ use was designed to keep your house from slowly sinking into the ground over time. Your foundation faces pressure and stress put on not only by what lies atop of it but the ground that lies underneath and beside it. You will definitely want to invest in your home with basement waterproofing after reading this article.
List of Tips for a Strong Home Foundation
Here we provide essential tips on how to properly maintain your foundation and to keep it strong:
- Repair the cracks
- Even in the best of conditions, under that amount of pressure, any concrete will inevitably develop cracks. These can expand to become large crevasses if left untreated. It’s imperative to take note of small cracks as they appear and to ensure that they are filled with a foundation repair substance.
- Keep moisture consistent
Maintaining moisture levels as best as one can is critical for your foundation. Weather that is excessively dry can mean soil retracting away from it while excessive moisture can cause soil overexpansion.
- Drain
Ensure that your home’s gutters and downspouts are appropriately sized and in good repair. Not only that but be sure that the rain water being discharged is at least five feet away from our house if it’s built on sandy soil.
- Maintain correct grading
If you want your foundation to last, it’s important to make sure the ground slopes downward away from your home. This grade should ideally be between three and five percent within ten feet of your home’s foundation.
- Watch for puddles
Significant rains can mean significant puddles. If you suspect your yard and find any near the foundation, it’s important to divert this water away. It is ideal to have an Aqua Tech Waterproofing professional install an appropriate drain or swale to ensure that this is possible.
- Moisture barriers mean less trouble
If it’s not possible to repair the grade then having a moisture barrier installed at least five feet deep can help prevent significant damage to your foundation.
- Erosion control measures
If the grade around your home’s foundation is too steep, soil erosion can become a major problem but not one that can’t be solved. Materials commonly used to control erosion include plants, rocks, stone and concrete walls, timbers, and gravel and paving stones among others.
- Plumbing maintenance
Excess water doesn’t necessarily just come from rain. Leaks in your sprinkler system or sewer line can cause too much water to enter the soil. Ensure that these are inspects on a yearly basis and repairs are completed as needed.
Aqua Tech Waterproofing recognizes that not all of these preventative measures may be affordable or necessary for your home’s foundation needs. That’s why we think it important to contact us for a free estimate today.
We take a look at your home’s foundation and will be able to diagnose any possible issues, either present or forthcoming, to ensure that you are properly educated on what work is needed, if any. For more tried and true tips for keeping your foundation in the best possible conditions, continue to browse through our website and blog.
