Avoiding problems with your home’s foundation is critical to the long-term stability of your home, which will also save you money on costly repairs. In the San Francisco Bay Area, such problems can be prevented by installing deck piers, footing piers, helical piers, concrete piles, or other constructs which can provide foundation support to keep your home’s base completely stable. As a homeowner, here are some things to look for in in order to prevent foundation problems.
Preventing Home Foundation Problems
Improper Placement of Downspouts
When downspouts are properly positioned, they effectively direct rainwater runoff away from your house so the water doesn’t sink into the nearby soil. Proper positioning calls for extending a downspout at least 5 feet to 10 feet away from the house. Anything less than that will cause runoff to sink down toward the foundation, where it can potentially undermine your house.
Root Problems
When you plant shrubs and trees too close to the house, they will often be in competition with the soil surrounding the house for moisture. This can cause uneven settling, and even sinking in some cases. In turn, this can create all kinds of problems for the foundation, for how the doors and windows fit in their jambs, and even for the drywall between rooms. All deep-rooted plants should also be kept far enough away from the house so that the roots don’t intrude on the structure.
Water Issues
Droughts can become a big problem for your foundation (and the whole house) because of what happens afterwards. When there is a huge rainfall after a drought, the soil undergoes a dramatic expansion and creates tremendous stress on the foundation. To avoid this scenario, whenever you have an extended dry spell, keep the area around your house watered, but keep the soaking 6 inches away from the foundation.
Improper Landscaping
If the area around your house wasn’t landscaped properly during construction, the gradient of the soil can actually direct water toward the house instead of away from it. By using a carpenter’s level, you can determine whether or not your gradient is appropriate for directing water away from the house. Ideally the ground should slope away, at least 6 inches for every 10 feet between your house and the street or curb.
When Foundation Problems Occur Contact a Bay Area Foundation Drilling Company
Sometimes through no fault of your own, problems will still occur with foundations, and repairs or even replacements may be necessary. This is a serious operation which requires the expertise of a reputable Bay Area drilling and excavation company like Lassiter Excavating, Inc.
For all kinds of deep foundation drilling, conventional pier drilling, and foundation support, the company to call first is Lassiter. You can count on receiving the most professional service, and you can count on your foundation problems becoming a thing of the past. Call us at (925) 449-3112 or visit us online for more information!