Foundation drought damage can be a serious concern for homeowners in Kansas City. We have to dedicate a significant portion of our work to applying solutions to compromised homes following severe drought conditions. Fortunately, there’s an easy DIY fix that can save you thousands of dollars.
What is Foundation Drought Damage?
If you own a structure (house or commercial building), and are experiencing drought conditions, then you risk foundation damage. Droughts bring about some of the worst foundational problems. This means you want to monitor this problem during the summer.
Dry weather is serious because it leads the clay in the soil to withdraw from the structure. Since all foundations create a mutual relationship between the soil and the concrete of the foundation wall, soil withdrawal means less support for the rest of the structure.
The Soil is Like a Sponge Around Your Home
When water withdraws from the soil, it contracts like a sponge. Also like sponges, the soil will expand when they’re wet, and create foundational support (the ideal scenario). However, they also contract and separate away from the support wall during dryer seasons.
You can look at your foundation next summer and if you see cracks in the soil around the foundation, then it’s probably attributable to dry conditions. This leaves the weight of the structure on top of nothing but the foundation wall. As that happens, you can expect to see wall cracks and other symptoms like doors and windows starting to stick. This happens the most during severe drought conditions because the wall no longer has support from the soil that’s pulled away from it.
Easy Way to Prevent Foundation Drought Damage
How does a home or business respond to this ominous problem during a Kansas City drought? The resolution to this problem is so simple and can save you thousands of dollars with no need for excavation effort. The easiest way to handle a drought is to water your foundation.
Why should you do this?
Because, if you look around the foundation on a dry month, you’ll probably notice a foundational gap. If you water around it once or twice a day for about a week, you’ll see the foundational gap close. Once you’ve done that, the soil will return to its intended position as a buffer underneath your home.
What to Do If You Notice Cracks in Your Foundation?
Alas, if you can’t get the gaps under control, and you notice cracks in your foundation, then you’ll need to contact KC Pier for assistance. If the cracks are small enough, we can get to them, apply a minimally invasive solution, before it costs over several thousands dollars to repair.
What happens if you wait too long?
Well, then it could become a much greater nightmare where your walls deteriorate (crack, cave in, bow, etc.), or you suffer water intrusion in your basement. For more guidance on this topic, we recommend reading over this article on the 6 reasons to have foundation repairs done ASAP.
Those include:
- Avoiding much higher costs resulting from greater damage.
- If you delay your response, it’ll only take longer to fix things.
- The problem will spread to other parts of your house.
- Water intrusion inevitably leads to toxic mold and mildew.
- Water leaks always lead to expensive structural damage.
- Cracks in the walls mean that bugs and rodents can enter your home more easily.
KC Pier: Professional Foundation Repair in Kansas City
We always remind folks that time is of the essence when you’re met with a foundation compromise. Don’t wait for the cracks to go all the way across your walls before deciding to hire a repair crew. Call KC Pier to address the problem while it’s still manageable and less costly.
You can count on us for prompt assistance, and all of our service crews arrive on time to handle problems fast. We can vouch for our customer service excellence with our five-star rating among Kansas City customers on Google Reviews.
If you have other questions related to foundation drought damage, then you’re welcome to contact us anytime for professional guidance and consultation.
