As Homeowners in Texas, you are familiar with the extreme weather in Fort Worth and Dallas. But have you ever been curious about how drought can cause the need for foundation repair? Most seasons Texas is hit hard with harsh hot summers and droughts. While the media may focus on drought for water supply, one side effect that is not talked about is foundation damage to homes.
In this blog, we’ll discuss how drought can cause the soil beneath your home to shrink, expand, and crack, leading to serious foundation issues. We’ll also discuss how to prevent damage happening to your home.
How Does Drought Affect Your Home’s Foundation?
1. Your Home’s Foundation Shifts
Fort Worth’s soil is primarily expansive clay. That means that it swells from getting wet and shrinks when it starts to dry. During a common occurrence of drought, moisture evaporates from the soil, causing it to shrink. When Texas finally gets rain fall this expands the soil by absorbing all that water. This reaction causes your home’s foundation to shift and become unlevel. Additionally, the soil that was once making contact with your home gets removed and your home’s flooring gets affected.
When this absorption process happens, it is known as foundation settlement. Some common symptoms include:
- Uneven or sloping floors
- Cracks in walls and ceilings that were not there before
- Noticeable gaps between doors and the floor
- Windows that stick in one position
2. Bad Moisture Distribution Leads to Structural Movement
Not all areas of your foundation lose moisture at the same rate. Trees and large plants around your home can extract water from the soil, causing some sections of the foundation to settle faster than others. This creates an uneven shift, putting stress on your foundation and causing cracks, bowing walls, and misaligned doors.
3. Increased Risk of Foundation Cracks
As time goes on, you may notice that your home has begun to form cracks along the walls. The most common signs of foundation damage are horizontal and vertical cracks in the foundation slab or walls from your pier and beam foundation. If these cracks can get worse, it can introduce more water into your foundation, making the problem worse. The cracks also increase your risk of pest infestations.
Signs of Foundation Damage During a Drought
If you live in Fort Worth and think you will need foundation repair, look out for these warning signs:
- Cracks in drywall, brickwork, or exterior walls
- Uneven or sloping floors
- Doors and windows that stick or won’t close properly
- Separation of the foundation from the house
- Plumbing leaks due to shifting pipes
If you notice any of these signs, don’t wait! Foundation problems can get worse over time. Contact Maestro’s Foundation Repair for a professional inspection.
How to Fight Against Foundation Damage During a Drought
1. Get A Water Management System
One of the best ways to prevent shifting is to keep the ground around your foundation evenly moist. One of the most common ways Maestro’s Foundation Repair fights against home foundation shifting is to have your home equipped with a soaker hose or an irrigation system. These tools help you maintain consistent moisture levels, especially during extreme heat and heavy rainfall.
Our Recommended Preventative Maintenance:
- Water the soil around your home about two to three times a week during a drought.
- If you have plants that soak up that moisture, water that area a little longer than the rest
- Use soaker hoses 12-18 inches from your foundation.
- Avoid overwatering
2. Maintain Proper Drainage Around Your Home
Keeping soil moist will help prevent the brunt of water related shifting, you may not consider the opposite end of the spectrum. If you have poor drainage it can cause pooling water. You would cause a weak point in your home’s foundation. To help combat this you should:
- Direct gutters and downspouts water away from your home’s foundation.
- Your yard is graded properly to prevent standing water from sitting at your foundation.
- Be cautious of where you are planting trees or shrubs
4. Schedule a Professional Foundation Inspection
Even if you don’t see visible damage, a foundation inspection can catch early warning signs before they become more expensive. At Maestro’s Foundation Repair, we offer free inspections to Fort Worth homeowners, assessing foundation health and recommending preventative services.
If your home has experienced foundation shifting, cracks, or uneven settling due to drought, our expert team at Maestro’s Foundation Repair offers a range of solutions to restore stability. If you suspect your foundation has been affected by drought, don’t wait until the problem gets worse. Contact Maestro’s Foundation Repair today for a free inspection and expert foundation solutions.