Think About Your Foundation When Planning Your Landscape, Part 1

It's that time of year when we start planning what we're going to do with our home landscaping. Nearly everyone likes to picture new plantings, a green yard, and healthy trees and shrubs.

What most people don't think about, however, is how their landscaping affects their foundation. That's right: your landscaping can help or hurt your house foundation. Below are several tips concerning landscaping and your home's foundation.

1. If you have large trees around your house, think about installing root barriers to keep the trees from pulling water out from under the foundation. This is especially important if a tree is closer to your foundation that the height of the tree.
2. Don't trap water against the foundation. Water can be trapped against the building by raised flower beds, metal edging or other landscaping borders that do not have drainage holes, and sidewalks can prevent water from draining away from your foundation. If the water doesn't drain properly, it can pool or gather and cause uneven soil moisture and, ultimately foundation problems.
3. Use downspout extensions or splash blocks on all down spouts. Downspout extensions are inexpensive and can be purchased at any home repair store.
4. Check your sprinker system and swimming pool. Leaky sprinkler lines and pool circulating systems can cause foundation problems. It's a good idea to have your lines tested for leaks every two to three years.

Look for Part 2 on Thursday, March 11.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.