All of Central Texas is in a
predominate area for expansive clay soils. These expansive soils act like a
sponge. As they absorb water they swell and as they lose water they shrink.
Soils tend to dry out (and shrink) during the summer and to absorb water (and
swell) during the winter and spring. As this occurs your house and foundation
will move up and down. So long as the foundation movement is not great enough to
damage the house and/or foundation, it is not a problem.
By keeping the moisture content of the
soil under the foundation constant, foundation movement can often be minimized
or even stopped. Please note that this is
only a simple foundation preventive maintenance recommendation. Should you be
concerned about the possibility of future movement or potential for movement or
structural damage then a licensed structural engineer should be consulted for
further evaluation and recommendations.
The goal of a foundation watering program is to
maintain a constant level of moisture in the soil under the house and
foundation. The best way to water a foundation is to install a buried foundation
watering system. If you do not want to go to the expense of installing a buried
watering system, soaker hoses will provide you with many of the same benefits.
The best way to use a soaker hose is to bury a soaker hose three inches deep,
one foot from the edge of your foundation. Placing the hose a short distance
from the foundation allows the water to soak into the soil evenly.
The hose should not be placed against the
foundation. When soil has dried and cracked, water can travel along the cracks
for several feet in all directions. If the soil around your foundation is dried
and cracked, then water placed next to the foundation will run through the
cracks and accumulate at the bottom of the grade beam (the thick portion of the
foundation that is under the exterior walls). In some cases, an accumulation of
water in the soil at the base of a foundation can cause the soil to loose some
of its load bearing capacity. If the soil loses enough load bearing capacity,
the house will sink into the ground.
Obviously, it is necessary to water more during
hot, dry weather and less during cold, damp weather. The amount of water
required to keep a foundation stable during the summer can be surprisingly
large. A single large tree can remove as much as 150 gallons of water, or almost
20 cubic feet of water, from the soil each day. Shrubs and other plants can also
remove large quantities of water. During persistent hot dry weather, it may be
necessary to water a foundation daily. Watering should supply enough water to
keep the moisture content in the soil under the foundation constant. If the
amount of water applied is only enough to keep the surface damp, the watering
program will not work. Obviously, the homeowner is the only one who can weight
the benefits of controlling foundation movement versus the increased size of the
water bill.
Some notes about Texas slab foundations
Slab foundations in the Greater Central Texas Area are designed for some
movement. They are sometimes referred to as "floating slabs". The use of rebar
and post tension cables allows for minimal movement without causing serious
damage to the foundation or the structure of the home.
Many times you will notice cracks along the corners of a home. These are
very common and are more cosmetic in nature and do not affect the performance of
the foundation. Common expansion and contraction of materials places undue
stress at the corners of the home and the result is this minor chipping or
cracking of the mortar coating over the foundation wall.
Many years of experience has taught me that if you consult with a foundation
repair company about the movement of your home's foundation, you will more than
likely be given an estimate of repairs which could easily run into the thousands
of dollars. Get a second opinion!
Some repair companies may recommend the addition of foundation piers or
supports. These act as an extra support level for the foundation to help
prevent future movement. And they are sometimes warranted. My advice is to
first consult with a State Licensed Structural Engineer before moving forward
with ANY foundation repairs. You may save yourself thousands of dollars in
repairs that are not needed. Often, a simple watering plan may be all that is
needed to correct your foundation problems.
Does homeowners insurance cover foundation
cracks?
To my understanding most problems concerning foundation damage are due to
soil expansion which is due to water content in the soil, or lack of water
content.
Most issues like this are considered maintenance problems and therefore not
covered, since theoretically you could have prevented them by maintaining the
water content around the homes foundation.
Best advice! Get a
Soaker Hose around you homes foundation and use it regularly to maintain a
consistent water content around the perimeter of the foundation.
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today for your free estimate.
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