Why Soil Pulls Away From a Foundation During Summer
The foundation is built on top of the soil. If the soil shifts, the foundation is going to move around. The movement, while subtle and gradual, is enough to cause eventual fractures and splits in the concrete slab. During the summer months, soil pulling away from the foundation is commonplace, especially in the Dallas and Ft Worth region. Why does this happen, and what can homeowners do about it?
What Causes Soil to Pull Away?
Soil pulls away for different reasons. The Dallas region is known for its hot summers. The heat plays a major role. The heat rays cause moisture in the soil to quickly evaporate. When the soil is dry and warm, it contracts and shifts, often moving away from the foundation. This leaves significant gaps between the foundation’s slab and the dirt that borders the home. This leads the foundation to shift, sink, or slope at an uneven angle and eventually crack apart.
Soil pulling away is especially common in Plano and surrounding cities that have heavy clay-based soil that is prone to drying out. Plano home foundation service providers keep these points in mind during residential inspections where soil conditions must also be examined.
Is Soil Pulling Away in Your Home?
Make a habit of performing a visual inspection around the border of your home. Do you see physical gaps and spaces in the dirt? Does the soil appear cracked along these areas? These are signs of soil contracting and pulling away.
What Do You Do?
Since soil pulls away when it dries, prevent it from drying out by watering it. Run a soaker hose around the home for about 20-minutes. Position the hose about 12 to 18-inches from the perimeter of the house. Be sure not to oversaturate the soil; the soil should be moderately moist. If a puddle is beginning to form, then you overdid it.
Run the soaker hose during summer when the weather forecast suggests a hot and dry week ahead.
Call Align Foundation Repair for a Foundation Inspection
While you can see signs of soil pulling away, you may not be able to tell whether foundation damage has occurred as a result. Soil separating from the house over many summers can cause significant damage that warrants a professional inspection. Contact Align Foundation Repair for foundation repair service solutions. We will provide a free estimate and quote.
