As a homeowner, protecting your foundation should always be a priority. While you won’t ever be able to completely protect your foundation from all forms of damage, there are some simple upgrades and tasks that you can carry out to greatly reduce your risk of cracks, leaks, and other common issues that could otherwise result in structural damage throughout your home.
When water pools next to your home, it will greatly increase your risk of foundation damage. That is just one of the reasons why you must install and maintain rain gutters and downspouts all along your roof. These will direct water away from your home’s foundation. Once installed, those channels need to be cleaned regularly to prevent spilling or pooling water.
Improving your home’s drainage is a good start, but you might still struggle with standing water if there is a heavy storm or if a drain line bursts. To protect your foundation from a sudden deluge, you might want to consider comprehensive exterior waterproofing. A custom exterior waterproofing plan will most likely include new rain gutters, longer downspouts, french drains, yard grading, and a variety of other tactics.
It is an unfortunate fact that almost every homeowner will have to deal with at least a handful of plumbing problems over the years. Luckily, most major issues can be avoided as long as you regularly inspect your plumbing. If you aren’t comfortable inspecting your own plumbing, then you should schedule annual or biannual service calls with a licensed plumber.
When you notice a smaller foundation crack, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your foundation is about to crumble. That being said, smaller cracks should be filled right away so that they don’t continue to grow. Most professional contractors will fill foundation cracks with epoxy that is stronger than the concrete itself.
Having huge trees and bushes right next to your home can be eye-catching and visually attractive, but that foliage will most likely end up being problematic. As a tree or plant continues to grow, the roots are eventually going to make their way toward your foundation. While every situation is slightly different, most experts recommend that small and medium trees should be planted at least a few yards away from the foundation of a home.
These few tips and tricks are a great start, but you might still have to deal with some foundation problems over the years. If you ever notice any major cracks forming, then you should immediately contact a foundation repair company so that the issue can be assessed and repaired before further problems start.
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