How to Maintain Your Foundation
The reason why that not everyone cares for their foundation is that you cannot see it while you’re looking at the exterior of a structure. Of course, the foundation’s base lies deep down in the ground. But this doesn’t mean that regular homeowners should just neglect it. Like other components in your house, the foundation needs regular maintenance too. Imagine if the foundation experiences too much moisture, the structural integrity is affected and your family would feel discomfort while living in the house.
We all have the responsibility to take care of our house, and it starts with maintaining the structure that’s bearing all the weight. According to contractors of foundation repair Lewisville TX, to avoid drastic damages the following maintenance tips should be done.
- Inspect for Cracks and Insects
If you have a basement or crawlspace foundation, there’s a high chance that it’s going to be infested with bugs and inspects. Hairline cracks are result of mild ground shifting. Inspect your foundation and check its condition at least once every 3 or 4 months. The insects and bugs also make the foundation to deteriorate faster. If you see holes and cracks, seal with compound sealers or whatever works. Check the foundation of any signs of moisture and mildew too.
- Protect It
The foundation also experiences a shift in temperature. From the cold temperature during the night to the warm weather during the day and back to night time again, the foundation has too much pressure to take. That’s why it expands and always prone to damage. Fractures like cracks and holes are obvious to the eyes, and if you see them don’t neglect them. Call a professional so the issue is fixed right away before it gets big.
- Maintain the Moisture Level
One of the reasons why a foundation gets damaged is because of the changing moisture level around it. Maintaining a moisture level is challenging but it’s really helpful. As a starter, you can conduct a water control program to avoid too much dryness or wetness in the surrounding soil. Maintenance routine like sprinkling water to the foundation during hot summer days is not as costly as repairing it. You can know more about the moisture control by asking your contractors.
- Proper Slope
If the structure is located in a place where the slope is not proper, then the foundation is prone to damage. If the water is running directly towards the foundation, the moisture will penetrate through the structure. You know what happens with too much moisture. A proper grading and sloping is important to the water won’t go to the foundation. The direction of the water runoff should be away from the foundation.
- Install a Drainage System
It’s not just the slope. If you don’t have a proper drainage system, then the foundation will suffer a lot. Too much moisture will cause the foundation to shift. That’s why there are a lot of things to consider before the construction to avoid the foundation from suffering.