September 23rd marked the first official day of fall! While this is exciting for many, it also means that winter is one step closer. Is your home’s foundation ready for the dip in temperature?
Any change in weather impacts your foundation because it affects the soil around it—whether that means contracting soil, more rain, leaf building, snow or ice.
To prepare for the seasonal shift, we’ve compiled 5 easy to-dos that can reduce your risk of serious foundation problems later on, saving you money and time.
Clear out gutters, downspouts, and drains of debris that could potentially block water from flowing away from your foundation.
- Point downspouts away from your home to avoid water flooding your basement.
- Clean out gutters to prevent water from overflowing and puddling near your home.
- Place a hose in your drains to check that water can flow and drain easily.
Check out your roof before it gets too snowy or cold to do so.
- Again, clear any debris that may have collected on your roof.
- Check for any missing shingles or leaks—this may lead to expensive issues down the road.
- Don’t hurt yourself! Take extra precautions and hire someone if you need to.
Look for foundation cracks.
- Check the exterior of your home and inside on the basement walls.
- Some cracks are worse than others. Check out our guide on different cracks and their severity.
- Cracks get worse over time, so if you spot any, it may be best to have a professional come and look.
Install a sump pump if you don’t already have one.
- If you do have a sump pump, make sure it has had a maintenance service within the past twelve months and is ready for winter.
- Consider adding a sump pump battery backup in case you have a loss of power due to ice damage.
Waterproof your basement.
- If you’ve ever experienced basement flooding or leaks, you need to waterproof your basement.
- You may also need crawl space repairs if water is coming in through there.