When a homeowner suspects their home’s foundation has a problem and chooses to ignore it, they could experience significant and expensive damages to their house. There are many things that impact a home’s foundation. Foundation repair contractors on Long Island can help homeowners learn how to protect their home. The potential for expansive soil swelling can cause quicker damage than shrinkage. Increased moisture can result from leaks in plumbing as well as wet weather, improper drainage of surface water and more. This could cause a need for foundation repair Long Island. One way to avoid this is for fixtures on a house designed to handle roof runoff be properly maintained.
Grading Issues
The grade of soil around a person’s home is based on the soil type and level of the slope located on their property. When people don’t have a proper grade around their home, they could have standing water that could be located near the foundation. It is possible to adjust the slope of soil on a person’s land. The goal will be to make it slope away from the house and avoid the need for foundation crack repair Long Island.
Compact Soil
Foundation contractors Long Island know it’s important for a homeowner to maintain a sufficient level of compacted soil around their home’s foundation. This increases the ability of the soil to retain moisture. It is very important during dry months. A house’s foundation should be embedded at least 2” from the top of a home’s foundation slab.
Shrub Roots and Trees
These need to be planted away from a person’s house. When the weather is dry, these plants will absorb all the moisture in the soil. It’s possible for this to cause a home’s foundation to develop cracks and become uneven. Foundation crack repair Long Island may be needed if these plants are not placed a proper distance from a house.
Clean Gutters
One of the most effective ways to avoid the need for foundation repair Long Island is by keeping the gutters on a home free from debris. It’s important for homeowners to know that a single inch of rainfall can create over 1400 gallons of water on the roof. Clean gutters can move all the water safely away from a home’s foundation. When gutters are clogged, it can result in sheets of waters being sent right next to the foundation of a house.
Drain Low Spots
It is common for a lawn around a house to have low spots causing a need for foundation crack repair Long Island. These are places that collect water as well as retain it. This can cause damage to a home’s structural foundation. It is a serious concern if these low spots are near a house. They can be eliminated by putting in subsurface drains. These are designed to move the collected water to an effective discharge point.
Extend Downspouts
Clean gutters do no good if the water in them flows into downspouts that discharge the water near a home’s foundation. It is a good idea to extend a downspout to a minimum of ten feet away from a home’s foundation. Many homeowners have also had success using underground extensions. Foundation contractors Long Island know how these can be placed, so they can cause water to drain into storm sewers and more.
When homeowners have done all they can to protect their home’s foundation, problems can still occur. Foundation repair Long Island will know how to handle the situation if it occurs. Homeowners can always contact foundation contractors Long Island if necessary for the latest and most effective foundation repair.