Hello Sunshine, Hello Foundation Issues? How To Stop Hot Weather From Harming

When the weather starts to turn to the sunny side, most of us get a spring in our steps. At last, the long days are over. It’s good news for us and, in theory, it’s a great thing for our homes. There’s just one problem – hot weather can also harm your home if you aren’t careful.

That’s because it’s a leading cause of soil shrinkage, which, if you didn’t know, is about the worst news there could be for your property foundations. In fact, the hot sun that pounds down all day long could quickly lead to everything from unwanted settling to cracks and a whole lot of other issues. Each of these will require the professional oversight of a company like Church Foundation Repair, and they’ll probably need some pretty extensive attention to set them right.

That’s hardly the summer lovin’ you probably had planned this year. Luckily, it is an eventuality you can avoid, and we’re here to consider how.

# 1 - Watering Works Wonders

You water plants, not foundations, right? Yes, absolutely. Watering your foundations themselves would not end well! But it’s vital to note that summer is mainly bad for your home because of a little thing called subsidence. Otherwise known as soil shrinkage, this happens when intense heat reduces soil moisture levels.  And, you could say it’s about the worst news for your property foundations, as soil literally disappears, leaving them exposed and without vital support.

Overcoming this doesn’t mean drenching your soil all summer long, and we’ll reiterate that it doesn’t mean drenching your foundations themselves! But, experts do recommend using soaker hoses that you position around 18 inches from your property. That way, you can keep the soil moist and, most importantly, in place all summer.

# 2 - Let’s Talk About Landscaping

Landscaping could also save your foundations this summer. That’s because large shrubs and trees around your property can significantly worsen the risk of subsidence, even if you have a watering system in place! That can be terrible news, and you might not even be aware of it happening.

Hence, top tips like moving any large trees so that they’re at least 20-30 meters from your property are essential. Equally, it’s vital that you leave your foundations somewhat clear, even if you’re planning flowerbeds right up against your property wall. This gives you the visibility you need to keep on top of foundations all season.

# 3 - Always Inspect the Situation

Speaking of visibility, you should also avoid simply leaving your foundations to do their own thing all summer. After all, subsidence might have very visible repercussions, but it’s an issue that’s largely hidden when it first begins. And, if you’re already spotting major cracks or wall problems, then you could argue that things have gone too far.

By instead regularly inspecting your foundations, or having a professional conduct an inspection for you, you’ll spot problems at a far earlier stage. And, this could be the difference between a dreamy summer and a nightmare season.