Summer is coming to Plano Texas: Time to take care of your foundation.

Caring for your foundation.

If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth, your foundation is a concern due to our clay soil. Clay soil shrinks and contracts depending on the moisture content. With our hot summers here is the DFW area the soil is going to dry out. Keeping the moisture content around your house's foundation is important to maintain it. So what can you do?

Drip irrigation.

A drip line irrigation system is a great way to keep the soil content even around the foundation. The system is set to one of your zones in your sprinkler system so it can be set as needed. When there are water restrictions and you can only use your sprinklers once or twice a week, this does not apply to your drip line.

Soaker hoses.

If you do not have a drip line irrigation system around your foundation and it is not in the budget, a soaker hose is your next best solution. My suggestion is to get a line splitter for your outdoor faucet, a programmable timer, and enough soaker hoses to reach around the perimeter of your foundation.

With the timer, once it is set, you only need to check the batteries once in a while you are set.  

The set up below is what Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service recommends.

Extenders on downspouts.

Your foundation needs support. If you have gutters and are not extending the bottom elbows at least 36 inches, the erosion can remove enough dirt that your foundation is not being supported properly. The soil around your house should be no higher than 6 inches to wood siding and 4 inches from brick. However, you need to keep enough soil around the perimeter of your foundation. If you can see the bottom of your foundation, dirt is required.

Remember, a well-maintained home is a Happier Home!

For more maintenance tips visit https://happierhomeinspections.com

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