The wild weather the past few months may be bad news for your home's foundation.
But no matter the kind of weather, there are some things you can do to protect your home.
"The number one thing that we see is differential settlement. That's where the foundation will drop. And it will drop along one wall or two walls," said Jeff Teague, the owner of Pier Magic, a foundation repair company in Grandview.
Teague said the recent drought caused soil to contract, possibly pulling it away from your home's foundation, making it vulnerable to sinking and cracking.
"If you start to see that you need to water your foundation," said Teague.
Use a drip hose or sprinkler to prevent the soil around your foundation from drying out.
In wetter times, make sure soil slopes away from the house and make sure gutter downspouts extend ten feet from the home.
"If you're consistently getting water around your foundation and inside it, you want to make sure you're doing something to take care of it," said Teague.
Signs your foundation may be compromised are doors that won't shut properly, cracks in drywall, and cracks in basement walls. In those situations, your foundation walls may need braces or piers.
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Justin Wilfon can be reached at justin.wilfon@kshb.com.
