Hot Weather, Cracks, and Foundation Repair

If you’re anywhere near Dallas, you may have noticed that its gotten a bit toasty outside and even see fractures in your foundation. While Texas summers are always on the warmer side, the intolerable 102-degree days seem to be endless. The next time you’re outdoors, take a second to identify what on your property remains outside in this heat, and what effect it has.  Take, for example, your plants – if you’re watering them once in the middle of the day, they probably aren’t getting as much to drink as you think. Try to water your lawn and garden as early as possible in the day in order to avoid evaporation that will deprive your plants of much-needed water.

There’s something else you need to water during the summer that most homeowners tend to forget: your home’s foundation. DFW homeowners who have slab foundations that are positioned on clay soil are particularly at risk of developing cracks.

What is Expansive Clay Soil?

The Dallas/Fort Worth areas in Texas have a distinct type of soil that isn’t found in most of the rest of the country: expansive clay soil. This ground’s consistency is somewhat malleable, and changes based on the amount of moisture in the soil, whether it’s an abundance of water (which makes this soil expand), or a lack of water (which makes this soil contract). This contraction in the soil during the summer months can eventually lead to cracks in concrete slab foundations, exterior brick walls, tile floors, sheetrock and more.

What Kind Of Damage Can Hot Weather Do To My Foundation?

The probability of this occurring increases as the temperature does – and Dallas will continue to see some very hot days this summer. This means more homeowners in the DFW area may notice cracks and see movement in their foundation. The slab foundation moves as a result of the fluctuation of the soil; when the foundation shifts position, it tends to settle and develop fissures. This can result in gaps around windows that may become evident, cracks appearing on the walls or floor, or doors closing with more difficulty than usual.

What Can I do to Prevent Crack Damage?

Watering your foundation is a beneficial, cost-effective DIY method to stop the expansive clay soil from fluctuating and causing damage.  To read more about how to properly water your foundation in the summer, read our blog post here.

What Happens if there is Damage?

Unfortunately, destruction can and does occur to a home’s foundation when expansive clay soil contracts enough to cause the foundation to move. Given the current heat of summer 2018 in Dallas, you should be prepared in the event that you notice possible foundation damage. It’s very important that you call a licensed professional foundation repair company in Dallas to assess your foundation for sustained damage as soon as you notice issues. Foundation problems don’t go away over time. In fact, the longer you wait to repair your structure, the worse the deterioration will get. This will ultimately increase the cost of slab foundation repairs. If that’s the case, pressed concrete foundation piers or steel piers may be needed to stabilize your house foundation.

If you have sustained slab foundation damage due to expansive clay soil, contact HD Foundations today to discuss your foundation repair options.