How Droughts Followed by Heavy Rains Affect Your Foundation

After a long drought, the rain has finally arrived, and boy has it arrived. Pouring rain has swept the Midwest, and basements are flooding. Heavy amounts of rain pose a threat to your basement or crawl space at any time, but symptoms can be worse after a drought. In fact, these extreme weather patterns not only affect your basement, but they affect your foundation too.

During drought conditions, the soil around your home shrinks as it dries up. As it shrinks, it pulls away from your foundation. Cracks in the soil or gaps around the foundation are examples of this. Large gaps between the soil and the home provide a perfect place for water to go when it rains.

With large amounts of rain, the water pressure in the soil quickly increases.  At times, the soil can’t absorb the water quick enough. The water searches for a place to go to relieve some of the pressure in the soil. Eventually, it leaks into your home through a porous foundation or through foundation cracks.

Of course, no one wants water in their basement, but this water pressure can result in much greater issues. In addition to getting your basement waterproofed, it’s important to know the signs of a failing foundation. Be on the lookout for cracks in your foundation. Cracks may be horizontal, vertical, or stairstep. Other signs of foundation settlement include cracks around windows and sticking doors. If you have any concerns, call us for a free estimate. We’ll send a system design specialist to inspect your home, determine the problem, and design a solution.