How Do I Water My Foundation Correctly?

While watering your home’s foundation is a process that should be undertaken by all homeowners, it is especially important to do in a place like Dallas, Fort Worth. In climates that are as hot and dry as Texas, it’s important to make sure that the soil around the foundation of your home doesn’t get too dried out by periodically watering them. Unfortunately, the practice of watering foundations isn’t widely taught, but it can have significant benefits for your home and can potentially save you from having to make costly repairs. One of the most important aspects of watering your foundation isn’t only the watering itself, but also determining a custom schedule that works for your home. Read on to see how to determine when and how much should you water your home’s foundation in Texas.

Watering Your Foundation: What is Too Much or Too Little?

If you’re a homeowner in the DFW area, it’s important that you create a watering schedule that makes sense with your property – you need to take into account which sides of the home get more sun or shade than others, the fact that cities in the metroplex have expansive clay soil, the temperature forecast (droughts), etc. All of these factors help determine the optimal watering schedule that would be best for your foundation. If you completely forego this practice, neglecting to water your foundations can lead to slab foundation cracks, as well as costly pier and beam issues. Similarly, however, excessively watering your foundation could also lead to trouble (especially if your foundation is placed on expansive clay soil), as the soil could expand, gain volume and impact the condition of your foundation.

Planning Around Texas Seasons

If you’re a long-time resident of Texas, you know that the weather doesn’t tend to hover on mild temperatures – and you need to be prepared for those weather extremes. In addition to knowing how and when to water your foundation during the freezing cold season, your watering schedule during the hot and dry summers certainly warrant a schedule of its own.

During the summer, it’s advisable that you water your foundation once a day – but be sure to check the soil to ensure it has enough drainage not to start getting perpetually soggy. You can either hand water the foundation (using a garden hose,) or use a soaker hose or sprinkler system that waters the area for approximately 15-20 minutes.

The most effective way to water your foundation is by having the water placed about 10-15 inches away from the actual foundation (not right on it). Additionally, during summertime, it’s important to either water the foundation early in the morning or in the evening, so that the water doesn’t evaporate in the 100+ degree heat. During the winter, you’ll want to water during a time where the sun is out so that the water doesn’t freeze.

To summarize, here are the factors you’ll need to know prior to creating a schedule for watering your foundation:

• What type of soil do I have? In North Texas, we have clay soils.
• Do any sides of my foundation get more sun or shade than others?
• What season are we currently in?
• Will I be watering my foundation with a garden hose, soaker hose or sprinkler system?

If you are a homeowner and require foundation repair in the DFW area, or just want expert advice, contact HD Foundations today.