Is Hot, Dry Weather a Risk to My Foundation?
The Spring rains are over. And in their place, we have hot, dry days. Many of them. In a row. But while your leaking cracks may not allow much water into your home, you should not relax. During a drought, your soil shrinks and becomes more compact. Further, because all the moisture has evaporated, it may also be losing mass. The cracked earth you see around your home is also creating voids beneath the surface. This will allow the foundation to expand into those voids and that could lead to new or enlarged cracks. Some voids, particularly below the foundation, could allow the home to settle and may result in a need for leveling.
Part of the solution is the very thing that you are usually trying to get rid of. WATER. That’s right, while too much moisture is obviously bad, no moisture can also create problems. So set a soaker hose or gentle oscillating sprinkler near the house and create some dampness around your foundation. If it has been 7 to 10 days since the last .2 inch of rain, you should be trying to create moist conditions on and around the concrete foundation.
And the damage may affect more than the foundation itself. Do a thorough inspection and check for doors and windows that stick or don’t close properly. They may be indicators, especially if they are new, of additional settling of your home.
