Foundation Maintenance Tips

As with many features of your home, proper care and maintenance of your foundation can help prevent some of the problems associated with foundation movement.

Five Tips for Watering Your Foundation

1. Water your soil in every season to maintain constant moisture around the perimeter of the slab - taking care not to create pools of water or mud spots. Adjust watering for seasonal changes in heat and rain.
2. Place soaker hoses 12 to 18 inches from the foundation (never next to it).
3. Avoid over-watering - watch for soft soil and/or standing water.
4. Don't allow water to pool within 15 feet of the house.
5. Take care not to overwater enclosed planter areas that are adjacent or within 15 feet of the perimeter.

Six Tips for Maintaining Proper Drainage

1. Soil should slope a minimum of one inch per foot over a distance of eight feet from the foundation perimeter.
2. Don't let water accumulate under a Pier and Beam House - the piers will sink and the floor will feel 'bouncy'.
3. Fill depressions in the soil that alter the drainage slope (like the drip line depression that forms below the edge of the roof).
4. Make certain that air conditioning units and gutters drain well away from the foundation.
5. Use French drains or surface drains as needed to keep water from standing near the foundation.
6. Be attentive to landscaping changes on both your property and your neighbors that might alter the flow of water back to your foundation.

Trees and Your Foundation

1. Trees should be no closer than their canopy height from the perimeter of the foundation.
2. Install root barriers for trees close to the house.
3. Treat shrubs or bushes taller than three feet as you would mature trees.

Finally - take care of your plumbing - dripping faucets, sewer line and fresh water plumbing leaks can soften or swell the soil and may cause foundation failure. If your home is more than 30 years old, we recommend a professional leak test every one to two years.

These maintenance tips should help to minimize foundation problems in areas including Arlington, Rockwall, Garland, Mesquite, Grand Prairie, North Richland Hills, Frisco, and other Dallas and Fort Worth area cities.

Repair Methods

• Steel piers
• Helical piers
• Concrete piers
• Soil injection
• Mudjacking
• Drainage
• Tunneling
• Root barrier

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Foundation Problem Signs

• Brick cracks
• Sloping floor
• Sticking window
• Cracks in walls
• Cracks in floor
• Cracks in tile
• Sunken floor
• Bouncy floor (Pier & Beam)

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Granite's Lifetime Warranty

All of Granite's foundation repairs are guaranteed by a fully transferable warranty. Our goal is to fix it right the first time and we stand behind our work. Learn more about our lifetime transferable warranty...

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