3 Steps to Prevent Water from Destroying your Home

Kansas City has expansive clay soil. It’s just an unfortunate fact for homeowners in this area. Why is expansive clay such a problem? Our structural engineers say expansive clay soil poses several threats to your homes foundation and its ability to stay dry. This kind of soil is most comparable to playdough. Whenever the soil dries, it shrinks, whenever it’s wet, it will swell. That is why it is crucial to take control of the water around your home. Our experts put together three helpful tips to help you prevent water from destroying your home. 

Before we begin, let's explore the meaning and importance of clay soil. According to the Soil and Conservation District of Saint Louis County (SWCDSTL), there are over 515 soil types found in Missouri. No two soils are the same, although neighboring soils in the same region share a similar ability to support growing plants or building construction. Menfro is the state soil of Missouri. It is commonly used to grow corn, soybeans, small grain, forage crops and specialty crops like tobacco, grapes, vegetables and fruit. Sites with Menfro soil are desirable building sites because soils are generally very deep, well drained and moderately permeable. 

Clean Your Home’s Gutters

Step one - make sure your home has gutters. The reason gutters are so important is that they direct the water away from your home. The typical residential roof can potentially withstand roughly 2,000 gallons of water. If your home doesn’t have gutters, all of this water will just sit next to your foundation. But gutters won’t be able to do their job if they are clogged with leaves, sticks, or any of nature’s leftover residue. So if your home rests beneath a few large trees, you should regularly check on the cleanliness of your gutters. PierMagic also recommends adding downspouts that are adjacent to roof valleys.

Examine the Patio, Porch, Sidewalk, & Driveway

Gutters are not the only feature of your home that requires attention. Make sure to check out the angling of your patio, porch, sidewalks and driveway. More times than not, they are tilted towards the house which results in several different foundation problems. Carter states that a tilted patio “can shed 5,000 gallons of water against walls” from a heavy rain. One way to fight this tilting is by having your patio, porch, or driveway raised by polyjacking. This will help ensure that water is flowing away from the home. PierMagic has a sister company, PolyMagic, that focuses on concrete lifting and leveling, also referred to as polyjacking. Reach out to PolyMagic for a free estimate because it's much cheaper to repair vs replace the concrete around your home.

Inspect Your Home’s Land & Landscape

Finally, take Mother Nature's doings into your own hands. What do we mean by that? If you notice areas of your property that are on higher ground than the area near your foundation, rain runoff will end up puddling near your home. The goal is to have all water drain away from your home’s foundation. Our suggestion is creating a ditch that will be used to intercept flow and channel it around the house. If you’re not sure about the lay of your land and if it is causing problems, we can come out and inspect it for you and offer solutions.

IF YOU FOLLOW THESE THREE STEPS, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR HOME PROTECTED FROM WATER DAMAGE.  IF YOUR HOME IS IN NEED OF MUDJACKING, OR POLYJACKING, OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF FOUNDATION REPAIR, TO GIVE THE EXPERTS OVER AT PIERMAGIC A CALL AT 816-765-4800.