7 MAINTENANCE TIPS TO PROTECT A HOME’S FOUNDATION IN CHARLOTTE NC

It’s no secret that having a strong foundation for your home is important. Unfortunately, not all home foundations in Charlotte have been built the same but there are several actions you...

It’s no secret that having a strong foundation for your home is important. Unfortunately, not all home foundations in Charlotte have been built the same but there are several actions you can take to not only help with the maintenance of your home’s foundation, but protect it as well.

 

 

MAINTAINING YOUR HOME’S FOUNDATION

Not every preventative maintenance action involves doing work on your Charlotte home’s foundation. In fact, many of them do not – which means that you don’t have to be a foundation expert to ensure that your home’s foundation lasts for years.

    1. Inspect your home’s foundation for insects, cracks and damage. Some indicators such as cracks could indicate water leaks in the house, or unexplained temperature changes in the home. When inspecting for cracks, be especially aware of those that appear suddenly, have a stair step or horizontal shape, are wider than a ¼ inch or those that remain after the change of a season (sometimes cracks will open during cold weather and close when it is warm.)

    2. Have a root barrier installed around your property so that your foundation will not be at risk of roots breaking through. A root barrier is especially helpful to protect the foundation if you have trees such as silver maple, American elm, Chinese pistache, Bradford pear, live oaks or magnolias. Should you opt to remove any trees that can cause foundational issues, you can replace them with plants such as cherry laurel, wax myrtle, boxwood, holly, yews, dogwood, crepe myrtle or juniper – as these trees are less likely to cause root damage.

    3. Be sure that your home is on a proper slope as this will ensure that water flows away from your foundation.

    4. Schedule a regular plumbing inspection. Plumbing leaks are one of the biggest causes of foundation issues. Scheduling an annual plumbing inspection will not only help you ensure your home’s plumbing system but can help prevent risk of cracks in the foundation.

    5. Have concrete structures placed carefully. Elements such as paths, patios, driveways and sidewalks can not only add value to your home, but if they are designed to cause water to run away from your home then you can keep stagnant water from collecting near the foundation and risking the foundation eroding or weakening.

    6. Repair and update the exterior foundation waterproofing systems. Today’s approach to this uses a combination of synthetic polyurethane sealant membranes which will keep out water and reduce static water pressure. This approach helps minimize risk of a weakened foundation.

    7. Add interior foundation drainage systems and a sump pump well so water stays out of your home. If your Charlotte home floods anytime there is a hard rain, then your foundation is likely allowing water in. As a sump pump works by moving water into a collecting tank that is built underground, a sump pump will assure proper drainage.

After the heavy rains that battered our state in recent weeks, it is important to know what signs to watch for when inspecting your home’s foundation and structural strength. If you notice any areas that you fear might need shoring up, give the team at Sherrill Structural a call today!