Did you know summer rain can significantly damage your foundation? We want to break down the hows and whys for you so that you can use that knowledge to protect your home from an early retirement. Keep your home in good shape by staying knowledgeable about summer rain and its effect on your foundation.
Erosion
The first way summer rain can hurt the integrity of your foundation is by erosion. This is an issue in any season with rain, but can’t be discounted in summer. When rain water seeps into the ground around your home, it will run toward your house and collect around the perimeter of your foundation.
However, what many people don’t realize is that ground water doesn’t just sit still. It will continue to flow, taking the slowest route further down into the ground. What this means is that it will continue to flow against the side of your foundation, eroding away the cement or stone supporting your home. Never underestimate erosion. Canyons and valleys are created by a continuous flow of water eroding the ground away, and it can wreak just as much havoc on your foundation.
Crack Widening
While ground water is eroding your foundation, it isn’t just settling for the outside of it. Water also seeps into the cracks in your foundation. You would be shocked if you knew how much water can fit inside of cracks that are barely visible to the naked eye. As water flows through these cracks, they erode away more of the stone, widening the cracks and making them even easier to fill with water. That means, each year, summer rain can exponentially wear away at your foundation.
Expansion and Contraction
Water getting into the cracks of your foundation doesn’t just lead to erosion; it also leads to expansion and contraction. Summer days are often extremely hot – after all, that’s what it’s known for. However, when the rain comes down, it cools everything off. That means, throughout the season, your foundation will go through a series of temperature changes – sometimes sudden – which leads to expansion and contraction of the cement or stone its made of.
The foundation itself isn’t the only thing expanding and contracting; the water in the foundation cracks is too. It’s because of this that erosion is the least of your worries. When water repeatedly expands and contracts within the cracks of a foundation, it creates new cracks, and can even split the foundation. Moreover, when enough cracks form in a foundation, even something as simple as rain expansion within the cracks of the foundation can cause it to split.
When a foundation splits, the different parts are able to move separately from each other. This can lead to one part of the house sinking below another. Even a few millimeters of this can cause structural damage and put stress on the house’s supports. If you notice doors shutting differently at different times of the year, or small hairline cracks in your walls or window frames, your foundation may already be struggling.
Exterior Basement Waterproofing is the only surefire solution to prevent rain damage to your foundation. Call us at POM Waterproofing if you’re interested in learning more about the process or scheduling an appointment today.
