Most of the Southeastern Home Solutions service area, including Birmingham and Chattanooga, has been inundated with torrential rainfalls during the month of April. The rains were welcomed at first to help with drought conditions, but the showers quickly became too much of a good thing as streets and basements began flooding. Some areas reported over 5 inches of rain in just one day and there was just nowhere for the rain to go in that short of time.
There are several ways that excess water can damage the foundation of your home or business. Oversaturated soil can push against the basement walls with extreme amounts of pressure. This can call foundation walls to bow, lean, or even collapse.
As the water pushes against the walls, even a hairline crack can allow water to seep in. Wet basements can be susceptible to mold and mildew and will attract bugs and other pests. Your belongings and furnishings can be damaged by the intruding water, in addition to weakening the structural material of your home.
Fortunately, there are solutions to repairing foundation damage caused by rain and flooding. Southeastern Home Solutions can repair cracks, bowing or leaning walls, and other foundation damage.
There are some steps you can do to help lower the chance of water entering your basement:
You can also help keep your basement dry by using a dehumidifier. Keeping the air dry in the basement will help reduce the chance of mold and foul odors moving through the house.
Waiting until your basement is full of water is not the time to think about waterproofing. With the amount of rainfall we experienced the last couple of weeks, water can come in from many locations like basement windows, and floor and wall cracks.
Before you start any repairs you’ll want to get a free inspection from a waterproofing expert, like those at Southeastern Home Solutions. They can determine what steps are needed to keep your basement dry and your home safe and healthy.
You may need drains or a sump pump installed. There are several types of drains and pumps, so you need to get a professional opinion of what is best for your situation. A battery back-up pump will give you peace of mind if the power goes out, your main pump fails, or it can’t keep up with rain by itself.
The way the weather has been acting, it’s only a matter of time before we have another large rain event. Make sure your home and basement are ready to handle what Mother Nature throws at you.
Living in drought conditions is tough all around. You have to budget your water usage, crops and animals suffer, gardens and lawns look sickly, and the clay soil begins to shrink. When it finally begins to rain, you may think all is well, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case.
After a long drought, like the one we’ve been experiencing in this area, a good rain seems like the perfect cure. However, when your home is built on expansive clay, the soil moves a lot according to the amount of water it contains. The soil will shrink and expand, causing problems for your foundation walls.
If the weather was the same all the time, expansive soil wouldn’t be a problem, as the soil would remain the same all the time. Unfortunately, the amount of rain can fluctuate a lot, as we’ve experienced recently. Even in normal years, the soil can expand and contract greatly, impacting your home’s foundation.
Since this drought has gone for so long, the negative impacts of a soaking rain are amplified. The soil will drink in that new rainfall and swell like a sponge. However, the soil that is under the foundation will remain dryer than the soil around the outside of the home. The expanding soil will lift the foundation, causing cracks and other damage.
Before damage occurs, there are some things you can do to lessen the impact that expansive soil can do to your home’s foundation.
Although we can’t control the weather, there are things you can do to protect your home from expansive soil damaging your foundation. The first thing you can do is take a walk around your property. You are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting your home. Here are a few steps you can take to keep your home stable.
Make sure that your gutters are free of leaves and other debris. A kid’s ball or frisbee can clog up the works just as bad as some sticks and leaves. If the gutters don’t drain properly, they may spill over the sides, causing water to pool around the foundation. Make sure your downspouts are emptying far enough way from the foundation that the water isn’t running back towards the house. Also, make sure the downspout is draining properly, a dented or leaking spout isn’t going to help you protect your home.
An uneven slab on your driveway, patio, or sidewalk isn’t only a tripping hazard, it can prevent water from draining properly. Sometimes it isn’t as obvious as a big gap between slabs, you may have to go out after a rainstorm to see if water is pooling or draining incorrectly. Southeastern Home Solutions can help you with an uneven slab, contact us to learn more about our concrete leveling services.
Just like school, grades are still important. In this case, the grade of the soil surrounding your foundation. For every 10 feet away from the foundation, the soil should drop at least 6 inches. This will keep rainwater from running back into the foundation and draining away from the surrounding soil. Also, make sure that any landscaping around the home is two feet or more away from the walls of your home. You want to do everything you can to keep the water from pooling against the foundation.
If you do find that you are experiencing water damage to your basement or crawlspace or foundation damage from expanding soil, the experts at Southeastern Home Solutions is here to help. We’ll inspect your home for free and determine the best methods to making your home stable and secure again.
We can assist with wall supports and crawlspace jacks, in addition to interior waterproofing. We already mentioned concrete leveling, so Southeastern Home Solutions is your one stop for all your foundation and waterproofing needs. Don’t let a dry spell and torrential rains keep you from enjoying your home. Contact us today and learn more about all the services Southeastern Home Solutions can provide you.
