Are You Servicing Your Foundation Correctly?
Do you consider yourself to be conscientious or someone who pays attention to detail? You may own a car, for example and make sure that you take it into a mechanic at precisely recommended intervals, so that it performs well and retains its value. Yet as attentive as you are, you may be missing something crucial. When was the last time that you "serviced" the foundation of your home? Yes, this is something that major builders recommend if you want to avoid problems down the road. What should you be focusing on?
Focusing on the Foundation
The climate in Australia can be extreme and you may live in an area that suffers from extreme drought during one season and heavy rain during another. This inconsistency can really do a number on the foundations of your home, even though you may not realise it. The soil beneath the surface will go through periods of expansion and contraction, when its mass may shrink or engorge, impacting the structural integrity of the foundation itself.
When your home was built, the contractor would have paid great attention to the foundation, of course as this is literally what keeps the house from falling down. Studies would have been engaged to look at drainage, to try and make sure that excess water was kept away from the area immediately around the house.
Changing Climate
However, over time much can happen. Weather patterns can change, major storms can sit over one particular area for days at a time and all of this can put stress and pressure on the foundation. When it is subjected to constant contraction and expansion or lengthy periods of drought and deluge, it can become imbalanced and not fit for the job.
Signs of Trouble
You may notice that something is wrong if cracks have started to appear in the walls or the floors within the home. You may find that a door or window will not open or close properly and you may come across random puddles of moisture. These indicate that your foundation is in need of repair.
Actions to Take
Get into the habit of watering your foundation at the same time as you water your lawn in the dry season. You can introduce a new sprinkler system or modify your existing one to direct some of the water towards the foundation. At the same time, make sure that your drainage system is in good shape when the storms arrive, so that everything works together in tandem to protect the foundation as much as possible.
What about Right Now?
If you suspect that you are in trouble anyway, then you need to call out a structural contractor to perform foundation work as soon as possible.
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