In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the landscaping-related areas many home or building owners should consider when it comes to protecting their foundation. Foundations are often impacted by moisture or other elements that make their way through, but the right tactics in a few important areas will limit the risks of this.
At Lift Right Concrete, we’re happy to offer another valuable service for protecting your foundation: Concrete repair. Through proper concrete lifting and leveling plus services like joint and crack sealing for your concrete, we’ve helped numerous property owners keep their foundation protected year-round. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over a few additional landscaping and related tips for keeping your foundation protected.
If you’re involved in the construction phase of a home or building you’ll be living in or managing, one important area to prioritize is leaving a few inches of the foundation exposed and visible. This is a common request of homebuilders, and one that holds significant practical value for long-term foundation quality.
A bit of exposure allows for the foundation to be easily inspected by both yourself and our concrete repair professionals. This makes it far easier to tell if moisture or other elements have seeped in and are risking cracks or other issues, which we can then also remedy more easily with a bit of room to work with.
As you’re designing a landscape, another important task is ensuring it slopes away from the home. This stops water from pooling up near or on the home’s foundation. New flower beds or soil areas should be given at least a 10-inch drop for the first 10 feet around your home, then a more moderate drop or a leveling-off after that point. Without such sloping, you risk erosion and other major foundation damage.
It’s important to get your plants the proper amounts of water, but be careful not to overdo it here. Too much water, or uneven watering in some areas, may cause shifting soil, which in turn leads to cracks in the foundation. When you’re dealing with new plants or trees spreading out their root systems, these concerns are heightened. Be sure to water properly, but also carefully.
Mulch holds major value to weed prevention and other plant growth areas, but is also ideal for helping protect foundation areas. It retains moisture and stops soil from getting too dry – most foundation issues are due to too much moisture, but too little can also lead to shifting and cracks, so this is a valuable tool at your disposal.
For more on landscaping areas to help keep your foundation protected, or to learn about any of our concrete repair services, speak to the staff at Lift Right Concrete today.
