The foundation of your home is a hugely important thing, of this there is really no doubt. After all, problems with the foundation of your home, which can stem from a number of different places, can cause all sorts of issues in the rest of your home. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to quite effectively mitigate these issues, something that might cost a bit more money up front – but that will more than pay off at the end of the day.
For one thing, investing in the foundation at the time that the home is built is hugely essential. After all, a recommended up to 15% of the total cost of the home should be devoted to the foundation and the foundation alone. At the very least, 8% should be spent on its construction. And of the three main types of foundation – basement, crawlspace, and slab – the right one should be chosen. In certain parts of the country, certain foundation types will be ideal, and others dramatically less so. Therefore, taking the time to do research on the pros and cons of all types of foundation is really very essential.
People who invest in basement foundation will need to take extra precautionary measures, as basement foundation has been known to be prone to flooding. As a matter of fact, research into the subject has even found that nearly 100% (around 98%, to be just a bit more specific) of all basements in the United States will flood at some point. This means that around 14,000 different people will have to deal with various personal and professional emergencies related to flooding on a daily basis. This, unfortunately, leads to the research that has found that up to 37% of all home owners in the United States alone have lost property to flooding – some of them losing very valuable or even just very sentimental (personally valuable) items indeed.
Fortunately, there are steps to take to combat issues with foundation. For instance, simply taking care with gardening is something that can go a long way. By making sure that no plants are planted closer than two feet from your foundation. This, and making sure that the plants are not planted too deeply, will help to ensure that no water damage accrues in your foundation from your gardening habits, as well as reducing the risk dramatically of having your roots interfere with your plant.
Proper gutter placement can actually also go a long way towards avoiding the need for foundation repair. After all, simply ensuring that you are placing your gutters in a way that diverts water at least ten feet away from your home’s foundation is something that will go a long way to ensure that said foundation is not damaged. Preventing a back up by properly and regularly cleaning out said gutters will also be largely beneficial.
Of course, there comes a time when every foundation needs to be thoroughly inspected. If you’re looking to sell your home, this is particularly crucial – especially if the home is over 20 years of age, as foundations, even when well cared for, will experience a good deal of wear and tear just like the rest of your home. And when this inspection is conducted, you might find that foundation repair contractors must be brought in to help deal with some of the issues that have developed.
The process of house leveling might need to be conducted, as this process of house leveling can restore your foundation to at least some of its former glory. House leveling will be particularly beneficial to homes that have sunk some beneath the surface, perhaps because of the soil quality in the area. Some of this is inevitable, even when a high quality foundation has been chosen. Fortunately, house leveling can reverse much of the damage that accrues, making house leveling quite essential for the typical older home. For the older home that is soon to be sold, house leveling and other home foundation repair becomes even more important – as home owners want to buy a home as high-quality as possible..
