19 Tips for Keeping Your Foundation Safe and Stable

19 Tips to Keep Foundation Safe

The foundation is an integral part of your building. You can consider it the most crucial structural element, as if the foundation fails, the whole building will collapse to dust. That’s why it’s necessary to understand A to Z about how to keep your foundation safe and stable. Even if you’re not an expert in structural stuff, you can still understand and take care of the foundation.

In this article, we’ve talked briefly about most of the direct and indirect tips that any homeowner can follow. No more idle talk; let’s dive in to learn the tips.

19 Tips to Keep Foundation Safe

There are tons of steps you can take to ensure the stability and safety of your foundation before and after the construction phase. They are:

Site Preparation

If you still haven’t constructed the foundation for your home, or are preparing to construct a new building, you should ensure the site is properly prepared. If there are organic materials in the soil, it should be removed, put extra soil and compact the area if necessary, do a proper grading, etc.

Quality Material

When you use high-quality materials when constructing the foundation, it can help you through its lifecycle. Specifically, if you use waterproofing materials, it can protect the foundation from any moisture-related problems.

Professional Construction

It’s also a pre-construction trick for the foundation. Design the structure, including the foundation, by a qualified professional, and also construct it with experienced workers to face and minimize any challenges as soon as possible.

Mulching

Maintaining ground moisture is important for making suitable soil for your foundation. Mulch with natural wood chips or other organic material to maintain the right moisture around the foundation. You can find mulch at big box home improvement stores, like Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and Menards.

Install Retaining Walls

In case you live in a hilly area or site with lots of slopes, you should install retaining walls to prevent soil erosion and affect the foundation. Also, the retaining walls will keep large trees away from the foundation during heavy winds or storms.

Landscape Adjustment

You should plant and cultivate gardens and trees strategically on your property to protect the foundation. Don’t plant trees with large roots near the foundation. And even if you already have trees nearby, install root barriers surrounding the foundation.

Avoid Overloading

Your foundation can only support up to a specific amount of load, if overload is applied, then it will fail. That’s why don’t overload the structure, like using a house for commercial purposes and installing big machines where the foundation design is only for normal houses. Also, constructing more floors than the permitted quantity can damage the entire building.

Slope appropriately

Ensure the slope of your property isn’t graded toward your foundation. Slope it outside to prevent water accumulation near the house perimeter. You can add soil near the foundation to grade the slope away from the basement.

Install Sump Pump

To make your basement area more waterproof, install a sump pump. This pump can collect water below ground level and redirect it away from the foundation.

RELATED: 2 Practical Tips to Avoid Sump Pump Disasters

Install A French Drain

French drains are effective for drainage problems that can harm the foundation. This drain can clear away pooled water or water that seeps below ground level during heavy rainfall. If you don’t have one in your home, install it before the rainy season.

Inspect Gutters and Downspouts

Check the gutter system regularly to ensure proper drainage of accumulated roof water. Clean or reinstall the system if necessary. Also, ensure the downspout is disposing of water at least 5 to 10 feet away from your foundation walls. Otherwise, it can damage the foundation.

Proper Drainage Implementation

Ensure the drainage system is implemented properly because if the lines are misplaced, it can cause flooding in the basement area and cause foundation damage.

Smart Sprinkler System

Installing a smart sprinkler system near the foundation can help during droughts or dry seasons. The sprinkler will determine the moisture level of the ground and spray water whenever necessary to maintain the standard moisture level.

Crawl Space Inspection

Your crawl space tells a lot about foundation health. Keep an eye on this area and watch out for signs of high humidity and damage. Also, you can enclose the crawl space with a tight seal to prevent most of the moisture-related problems.

Plumbing System Maintenance

You should look out for any cracks, clogs, or other problems in the plumbing system to prevent potential leaks and water pooling. Also, try a professional inspection every few months to prevent any problems.

Keep Foundation Log

Keep track of any changes, signs, repairs, and other information regarding your foundation in a log. This will act as an extremely valuable tool for major problem prevention and repair. It will also help a foundation specialist determine solutions sooner.

Low Flower Bed

To absorb excess moisture surrounding the foundation, you can plant grass or a low flower bed that can’t harm the foundation with its roots. It also helps reduce water pools near the foundation.

Keep the Thermostat On

When you’re away from home for a few days, you shouldn’t turn the thermostat off. It’s because, when the temperature turns extreme or beyond the normal range, the thermostat will help maintain the standard temperature. So, it can potentially protect the foundation from temperature damage.

RELATED: Did you know that an EZ Breathe Ventilation System is designed to pull the cool, damp air from the lowest part of your home, and expel it outside while removing the moisture. This helps reduce mustiness, molds, and odors.

Repair Minor Problems

Whenever you see minor problems in the foundation, like cracks, repair them quickly so that the problems don’t spread. Also, mold growth and insect invasion indicate potential leaks; try to fix these problems quickly.

As a homeowner there is only so much you can control and repair within your scope. When you begin to see the tell-tale signs of foundation issues, get an assessment from a reputable foundation repair company. Locally owned and operated companies like PierMagic are here to help you through the  process. We won't oversell, or lead with a pushy sales pitch. Reach out today to schedule your free estimate.