With winter fast approaching, many areas of the DFW metroplex have already experienced some very cold temperatures. Some areas of Eastern Texas have seen below freezing temperatures already – something that many homeowners were not prepared for. While there are certain maintenance tasks you should be doing for your foundation year-round, preparing for cold temperatures is imperative for preventing costly foundation damage. Two of the most commonly-seen foundation issues relating to the winter season are frost heaving and frozen pipes.
Frost Heaving and Its Effect On Your Foundation in Winter
Frost heaving occurs when there is a pattern of freezing and thawing within the top-level soils. Unfortunately, this is more common in places that do not have a consistently-cold winter (like Texas), but where the weather can fluctuate from above to below freezing temperatures. Over time this creates uneven pressure within the lower levels of your soil that can create dangerous shifting under the home’s foundation – potentially leading to foundation cracks.
One of the most common soil types in the DFW metroplex, and one that many Dallas homes are built upon is expansive clay soil. Unfortunately, this type of soil is extremely susceptible to moisture content and will expand and contract depending on that factor. This means that frost heaving can have a disastrous effect on your home’s foundation if it is built upon expansive clay soil.
You can consult with a local foundation repair team to discuss your soil and what you can do to prevent or prepare for frost heaving this winter.
Can Freezing Pipes Harm Your Home’s Foundation?
Many people would think that pipes and foundations aren’t necessarily related, but having freezing pipes can certainly have a problematic effect on your foundation. One major issue can occur if your pipes burst, which can cause lasting water damage and expensive future repairs. Pipes that are more prone to freezing/bursting are ones that are directly exposed to the outside elements or do not have adequate temperature control measures (inadequate insulation, etc).
It is important to check your pipes prior to freezing temperatures in order to ensure your risk of freezing pipes is as low as possible. Not only will that prevent the problems directly associated with bust pipes, but can also prevent very expensive foundation repairs as well.
Foundations were built to withstand many different weather patterns and wear & tear. However, it is important to keep up with your foundation’s maintenance as well as scheduling frequent foundation evaluations by a professional foundation company in order to ensure no immediate work needs to be done to prevent costly issues down the road. While winter is not a great time to get foundation repairs completed (due to the hardening of the ground in colder temperatures), it is a good opportunity to meet with a foundation repair expert team and put foundation repairs on the schedule for early spring.
To schedule a foundation evaluation with one of the top foundation repair companies in Dallas and the DFW metroplex, contact HD Foundations today!