The foundation of a house is extremely important. It is the core strength of your home. But no matter how incredibly strong it may seem, it is actually susceptible to the damaging effects of water.
Aside from its life sustaining role, water is also one of the most destructive forces known to man. In fact, water damage is the number one cause of weakened home foundations. Once water pools near the foundation, a few major issues may arise along with a number of smaller problems. Eventually, it may cause cracks and leaks.
Water can damage a home’s foundation in several ways. Let’s take a look at how water can damage your home’s foundation.
Water-saturated soil around the house
When water hits the ground, it soaks into the earth. The saturated soil expands significantly, absorbing and holding water just like a common household sponge. Expansion from water produces positive pressure against the foundation, causing it to crack.
Basement windows
Basement windows are very important since they could let a lot of water in, especially during heavy rain. Be sure to check the condition of the seals around the window and look for cracks around the window well.
Clogged gutters
Gutters are basically long channels that sit along the lower edge of your roof. They collect rainwater from your roof and direct it to the downspouts. During heavy rain, they can collect up to 10,000 liters of water. That’s almost half of the volume of a 15-feet swimming pool. Keep your gutters clean to make sure that they are operating at peak efficiency.
Ground slope
When the ground slopes toward the house, water from rain or melting snow is more likely to fill the drain and collect near the foundation. This may not seem like a big deal, until you realize that rainwater is flowing towards the house instead of towards the street. It is important to take immediate action to keep water from seeping into the ground quickly.
AdvantaClean of North Eastern Colorado 