Foundation Risks: Summer Droughts' Impact

Droughts and Your Home's Foundation

Extreme weather has devastating effects on your house and foundation. Since summer is approaching, it's time for another extreme weather event that can lead to drought. And the foundation problems caused by droughts aren't easy to deal with. 

That's why it's high time you became aware of the drought's effect on your house to prevent as many problems as possible. In this article, we've sorted all the necessary information regarding your foundation issues for drought. Let's dive in to learn in detail.

How Does Drought Prompt Foundation Issues?

In extreme dry seasons, the heat mainly affects the soil surrounding your structure. Those impacts on the soil are the main reasons for foundation problems in droughts. Let's see how drought affects the soil and eventually your foundation:

Uneven Moisture Distribution

In the dry season, if you water the ground unevenly or if there is a localized water source, then some areas will remain dry while others will flood. This uneven moisture level causes uneven soil movement around the foundation and damages it.

Soil Aridity

Because of soil desiccation during droughts, the soil becomes more inelastic and forms voids around the foundation. The high temperature and lack of rainfall affect this soil more and lead to foundation damage.

Expansive Soil

As drought means the ground will dry out, it affects expansive soils like clay much more. Clay can expand after absorbing water, and it shrinks when moisture is gone. So, during a drought, the expansive soil shrinks, leading to foundation settlement or other foundational problems.

Tree Root Activity

Since tree roots search for water and absorb it, in drought times, this water consumption dries out the soil more. If there are large tree roots or so many small tree roots near the foundation, they will suck all the moisture and dry out or shrink the nearby soil. This shrinkage can also cause foundation settlement.

Signs of Foundation Problems During Drought

In dry weather or drought, your house will show signs of stress that also involve foundation issues. Some of the common signs are:

Dry Soil

You don’t need a notorious drought to face foundation problems, any intensity of dry weather can affect the foundation. That’s why, whenever you see cracks in your property, it can mean the whole ground is going to dry out and cause foundation problems.

Broken Pipes

Broken pipes are common in extreme heat. This problem sometimes indicates foundation issues, sometimes leads to foundation issues and other plumbing problems. Also, you can see visible bubble leaks on your walls.

Cracks

You'll see visible cracks on the foundation wall and also in the interior or exterior walls of the house. Moreover, your chimney, basement floor, driveways, patios, and sidewalks can show cracks when there's any foundation issue caused by droughts.

Uneven Floors

Foundation issues in a drought can make the floors or roofs of your house sloping or uneven. You can determine if the floor is uneven by placing a marble in the middle of the floor and watching how it moves.

Stuck Doors and Windows

When the foundation settles, it makes the structural elements and compartments attached to them uneven too. That’s why when the doors and windows of your house get stuck in their frames in the summer, it’s possibly due to a foundation problem caused by drought.

How to Prevent Foundation Issues from Drought?

Staying vigilant can save your foundation, time, and money. That's why it's crucial to know the preventive measures for the drought's effect on your foundation. The main prevention steps are:

Hydrate Soil

You can do gentle watering to prevent soil shrinkage by hydrating the ground with a soaker hose throughout the summer days.

Hydrate Foundation

You can also water the foundation and its nearby area to prevent soil desiccation. Concrete will leak water and keep the soil evenly moist even when the soil starts to dry out.

Proper Drainage

Make sure the drainage system is properly working. Otherwise, it can cause pooling in one area while another area is drying out.

Tree Management

Since tree roots desperately seek water during a drought and affect the foundation, you should plant them away from the foundation, specifically near water sources. Also, you can plant drought-tolerant plants, as they will minimize soil moisture fluctuations and help the foundation.

Mulching

Organic mulch like wood chips can help to retain moisture, reduce evaporation, and regulate soil temperature. This works and minimizes the drought effect on soil only when you apply a layer of mulch on the ground. Also, you can use other soil amendments, like organic matter, gypsum, etc., to improve soil characteristics.

Regular Inspection

If you regularly inspect for visible signs of drought, foundation problems, or any other problem related to your house, the foundation issues can be avoided.

Professional Assessment

A foundation specialist can provide you with many insights, preventive measures, current condition, and other information just after a quick assessment.

How to Repair Foundation Problems Caused by Drought?

If it's too late to prevent any drought damage to your foundation, it's time for quick repair to prevent serious problems. Here are some common repairs:

Filling Cracks

Fill foundation and structure cracks. Also, you’ll need to fill voids in the soil underneath the foundation by injecting grout or foam to resolve the uneven structure.

Repairing Foundation

Repair damaged foundations by installing reinforcements like carbon fiber, steel, underpinning methods, etc.

Soil Stabilization

If there are problems with the soil characteristics, try adding moisture-retaining additives, installing a moisture barrier, or using other supports that can stabilize the soil.

Moisture Stabilization

You can evenly water the ground to stabilize the moisture level near the foundation.

Root Management

If nearby trees are affecting your foundation, prune them or remove them if necessary. Also, you can consider installing root barriers to prevent future intrusion.

If your foundation gets damaged due to a drought, the repair cost can reach hundreds of thousands. Even your insurance won't be able to cover all the repair costs. That's why it's necessary to take action beforehand. Hire a professional to have a detailed inspection fo your house and follow his instructions properly.