RICHMOND, Va. --It's been a dry season throughout much of Central Virginia, and too little rain can cause problems for your home's foundation.
When it doesn’t rain, the soil around your home shrinks away from the foundation, often causing cracks to form inside your home.
JES Foundation Repair in Chester says if you’re seeing diagonal cracks near the doors and windows inside your home, this could be a sign something is off with your foundation. You also might notice larger uneven cracks around your foundation, uneven concrete outside your home or a wilting chimney.
Brent Purcell, the production manager for JES Chester, said the lack of rain this year has him much busier than usual.
He added, if you think something might be off with your foundation, it’s better and cheaper in the long run to have someone come out and evaluate the potential damage immediately.
"Being proactive and maintaining the foundation around your home is always less costly in repairs on the interior," Purcell explained. "And so as your home is trying to hold itself together when there are areas of the home that aren't getting supported, it will affect other areas as it strains to hold up maybe a corner of the house that may be having some erosion around the bottom."
There are some things you can do on your own to try to prevent foundation damage during dry periods of weather.
JES said the first tip is to make sure the lawn around your home is well maintained and watered. Another thing that you can do is make sure the gutters and drainage systems around your home carry water away from the house. Lots of water running down besides your foundation wall can cause damage beneath the soil level that you can't see.
Lastly, make sure your gutters and drainage systems are clear and not clogged up.
"If you are experiencing foundation issues, or you think you are you're seeing cracks around the bottom of your home, foundation peering is an excellent way to protect your investment, and to make sure that you provide longevity for your home and protect the most important and most valuable investment," said Purcell.
If you notice a straight crack in the sheet rock of your home, Purcell said it could just be that there are high moisture levels inside your home.
JES and most other foundation companies will provide free estimates if you think you are experiencing foundation issues.
