Is Your Soil Pulling Away from Your House Foundation?

 

You’ve asked, and we’re answering. Is it smart to fill gaps between soil and house foundation? You raise your eyebrows in concern when you see dirt pulling away from your home’s foundation. Today, we’ll tell you why that’s happening and what you should do.

 

Dirt Pulling Away from Foundation – What Does It Mean?

In short, the soil is drying out. The heat and dryness have caused the soil to contract. When this happens, the dirt pulls away from the structure. Different types of soil expand and contract. Clay will contract when it dries out and conversely, clay will expand when it is wet.

                                                                             

How to Fix Soil Pulling Away from Foundation

This does present a problem – one you’ll want to fix. It seems like a simple, natural process. It is. But all the contracting and expanding can have serious effects on your slab foundation.

Think about it. Your slab foundation rests directly on top of soil. The soil is the “foundation” of your foundation. No matter what you’ve heard, we’re here to say that moisture levels matter in this regard. The long-term stability of your house depends on it.

 

Does Watering the Foundation Work?

Some recommend using a soaker hose to “water” the foundation. We don’t recommend that at all. And here’s why: the average person doesn’t complete the task frequently enough. But they also don’t know when to stop doing it.

It takes a team of professionals to observe, estimate, and repair the right way. In the long haul, you’ll be glad you took the time to handle the cracks in soil around the foundation. Before extensive and expensive damage.

 

Avoid Filling Foundation Perimeter with Soil

When some homeowners notice gaps, they simply think to add soil – that the empty space simply needs to be refilled. It’s the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. That’s not a good idea, though.

Adding extra soil can add pressure to structures once healthy moisture levels resume. When that new dirt becomes wet, it expands. What’s more, you might see additional issues with interior walls cracking.

 

Get a Professional Foundation Inspection

Don’t leave cracks and gaps unattended. Things will only worsen over time. And taking matters into your own hands is rarely a smart idea. We do this kind of work every day. Professionals can get to your specific issue quickly. And they’ll handle it properly from there.