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Residential drainage is vital for the protection of your foundation. Poor drainage can result in the accumulation of water around your foundation. When this happens, the hydrostatic pressure acting against your foundation will increase. If the situation is not remedied, it will result in wall cracks in your foundation. These cracks will allow water to seep into your basement. If you neglect the issue for too long, you will begin to experience structural problems in other parts of your home. Your foundation walls may eventually collapse.
The good news is that you can take steps now to prevent foundation wall cracks from forming. We discuss some of the mistakes you may be making and how you can avoid damage to your foundation below.
This is a mistake that many homeowners make while in the process of creating a beautiful landscape. Water traps are any point on your landscape where water can accumulate. These include flower beds and depressions such as trenches. It is important to be careful about the placement of features on your landscape to avoid creating water traps near the foundation. Avoid placing any feature that could cause water to accumulate at your foundation near your home.
Soil maintenance is not only important for the plant life on your landscape but also for the integrity of your home’s foundation. For example, soil erosion can result in the soil around your foundation being swept away. This will interfere with the level of support that the foundation receives and can result in the foundation shifting. This can in turn result in wall cracks.
It is important to be vigilant about the condition of the soil. This is especially true for the soil around your foundation. Ensure that water is not washing soil away from your foundation towards your foundation. The soil around the foundation should be compacted properly. It should also be irrigated during the dry season. This will prevent the soil from shrinking away from the foundation. Be careful not to overwater the soil and cause it to place even more pressure on the foundation walls.
Another mistake homeowners often make is overwatering their landscape. Overwatering is not only bad for the plant life on your property but also for your foundation. Too much water in the soil constantly will increase the pressure acting against the foundation walls. You will begin to notice wall cracks and these may eventually allow water from the surrounding soil to seep in.
Be vigilant when watering your landscape. Be careful to avoid watering too close to the foundation. If possible, invest in a timed irrigation system and set it to irrigate your landscape for only a short period at a time to avoid overwatering.
Are you making mistakes that are causing wall cracks in the walls of your foundation? Consider the mistakes above and avoid them to protect your foundation.
Contact the Professionals at K-Mag Basement Solutions Today! (309) 863-7671