As April approaches and Spring is in full bloom, your home may be at risk from water damage. During the rainier months, your Chattanooga landscape could become overwhelmed with water, especially if the right precautions aren’t taken. Things such as your yard’s grade, where you plant trees, bushes, and shrubs, and your gutter systems all influence how water is maintained when Spring takes effect.
If your gutters are clogged or damaged, you have trees planted too close to your foundation, or your yard’s grade is negative, you could be in trouble. All these things can make for a wet Spring and damaging effects to take place in your home. Here we discuss the best practices for landscaping your home effectively and what can cause problems for your foundation.
As the weather warms up and the rainy season begins, it’s important to make sure your home is well maintained and protected from the elements. Follow these 12 tips to keep your home safe, dry, and free of water damage.
- Check for any winter-related damage to your entire home
- Examine your foundation for cracks, bulges, or aesthetic damage
- Clean up any yard debris
- Prune trees, shrubs, and other overgrown plants
- Clean out clogged gutters and check for damage
- Check outdoor plumbing and pipes
- Clean outdoor drainage systems
- Check grass for bare spots and reseed
- Inspect for pests and termite infestations
- Check landscape along foundation perimeter
- Power wash siding and decks
Spring is one of the best times to have maintenance done on your home as the weather is usually mild in Mobile. It’s suggested to keep an eye out for any weather damage that happened in the cooler months and prepare your home for the wet weather.
What Trees You Should Avoid
It is known that trees have vast root systems that can spread far and wide, sometimes bringing along foundation damage. If you have trees that are too close to your home, you may be in trouble with intruding roots and foundation cracks. As time progresses, root systems expand in their search for water. This can damage your foundation, basement, crawl space, driveway, or sidewalk. This leads to cracks, sinking or uneven concrete, or bulging foundation walls.
When it comes to what trees you should plant in your yard, the less invasive the root system, the better. Depending on where you live and your proximity to trees, the debris they can cause can be messy, obtrusive, and be hard to keep under control. Be wary of these trees when you choose to plant them on your property.
- Eastern Cottonwood
- Sycamore
- Silver Maple
- Sweet Gum Tree
- Bradford Pear Trees
- Southern Magnolia
- Chinese Flame Trees
- White Mulberry
- Gingko
- Mimosa Tree
It’s important to look for trees that are low maintenance, won’t cause issues with your foundation, and are optimal for people with allergies. A good rule of thumb when planting new trees is to keep them at least 15 to 20 ft. away from your home.
Landscape Grading v. Gutter Systems
Protecting your home from the effects of water means putting effective solutions in place beforehand. This can be everything from gutters to re-grading your yards and landscaping your lawn. When it comes to grading your yard, you want to make sure that it has a positive slope. This means that whenever it rains, the water flows away from your foundation. This reduces the amount of hydrostatic pressure your home will experience.
Since Birmingham has mostly expansive clay soil, it has a higher chance of expanding once saturated and causing destruction to your home. If your home has a negative grade, you may run the risk of foundation cracks or basement leaks whenever heavy storms come through.
Another thing that plays a crucial role in maintaining water around your home is your gutter system. When your gutters and downspout are in proper working order, they work together to effectively direct water away from your home. If any part of your gutter is damaged or clogged, you may find pools of water forming around your foundation which can lead to structural damage.
It’s important to regularly inspect and clean out your gutters to avoid this problem. Adding gutter guards can also help to regulate the amount of tree debris that enters your gutters.
Choose The Team At AFS For Your Home Protection Solutions
If you’re wondering how to protect your home this spring, look no further than the experts at AFS Repair. We specialize in foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space encapsulation, and concrete lifting. Our team has over two decades of experience in working to provide tailored solutions for homeowners in Birmingham, Chattanooga, Huntsville, Mobile, Nashville, and surrounding areas.
During your free inspection, a member of our team will do a whole-home inspection to ensure that every problem is found and diagnosed. That way we can offer you a written estimate of repairs so you can decide what’s best for your home. Call or email AFS Repair today!
