Time to Think About Your Swimming Pool

Here we are, deep in the midst of February, and I want to talk about your swimming pool. That's crazy, isn't it?

What's even more crazy is ignoring any cracks in your swimming pool, ignoring any paving or decking that looks like it's risen or sunk from the lip of the pool, and ignoring any mysterious leaks in the pluming which serves the pool. More likely than not, the swimming pool is the focus of your backyard and figures greatly into your family's plan for summer fun. It's also one of the largest investments a family makes in their home. So, it'd be crazy to ignore cracks, paving and decking problems, and plumbing problems with your swimming pool.

Why are these clues important and what do they have to do with foundations? Read on and find out.

Cracks in your pool indicate that one or more parts of your pool are moving in different directions and/or different rates than the rest of the swimming pool. This is exactly the same as what happens to your home's foundation: Changes in the moisture content of the soil around and under your swimming pool causes the pool (or parts of it) to shift up and down and side-to-side. Most people don't connect swimming pools with foundation piers, but swimming pools are very heavy affairs and need support. Think about how heavy the pool's structure is, and then add to that thousands of gallons of water, and you have a very heavy item riding on and in the soil.

If you see the paving or decking around your swimming pool rising or sinking below the edge of the pool, what may be happening is that the pool itself is moving, not the paving or decking. As with cracks in the pool, lifting and sinking of the swimming pool are indicative of soil problems.

As for plumbing leaks, these can be caused when the pool shifts and pulls the plumbing fittings loose or apart. Why did the pool shift? It could be that it is riding up and down, left and right, back and forth on soil that is expanding and contracting due to changes in its moisture content.

So, what can you do about this? First off, have a structural engineer look at the pool and determine what's going on. If indeed there's a problem with the pool moving about, then you need to consider foundation piers. Just as foundation piers support your home's foundation and limit its movement to negligible amounts, they can do the same for your swimming pool.

And, as with foundation repair on your home, the proper location and installation of piers under your swimming pool can be done with limited impact on your landscaping, decking, and schedule.

If you have questions about foundation piers for pools, feel free to call us at 972-272-19000 and we'll be happy to provide you with answers.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Below is another excellent question from our "Ask Us Anything" page on our foundation repair website.

Danny,

Thanks for the question. Without a deeper structural investigation, it is really difficult to identify the exact problem. You may want to hire an independent structural engineer to look into it for you. If you call my office,(972) 272-1900, you can request a list of engineers to work from.

What I DO KNOW is that houses in this area are ALWAYS in a state of movement. That is directly tied to their dependence on the soil upon which they are built, clay soil. Clay soil is always in transition related to the infusion of moisture or the loss of moisture; when this soil absorbs water, like the melting snow and ice, it expands and lifts the house up with it

When we leave a wet season and enter our infamous Texas Summers, the soil starts to dry out, shrink, and contract in a downward motion. Of course, the house must follow the soil.

Most houses go through this 'slow motion roller coaster ride' without showing any stress signs greater than a few 'hairline' cracks in brick mortar or wall board, at least for their first couple of decades. BUT, they will 'snap, crackle and pop' as they go through the motions and that just may be what you have going on. The above mentioned 'roller coaster ride' is why you hear people harping on the subject of WATERING YOUR FOUNDATION. It is not the foundation which needs the water, but it is the soil around it that does need the water in order to limit the shrinking and pulling away from the foundation. But the opposite is true when we are getting a lot of rain: you want to make sure all excess runoff goes somewhere other than pooling next to your foundation.

I hope this simple answer helps you some. There a lot of other factors which can contribute to the situation such as the number of, size of, and placement of trees and shrubs; the contour of landscaping; the gutters; whether the home was built on fill dirt etc.

Feel free to contact me with any further questions I may be able to help with.

Sincerely,
Alan Ardoin

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

It's Time to Find the Soaker Hose!

With temperatures in the North Texas area -- particularly in the DFW Metroplex -- hitting the mid- to high nineties, it's time to run through a list of things to do as summer settles in.

Naturally, you've done the obvious things:

• Air conditioner charged and running, plus new air filter(s) in place? Check!
• Roof vents and attic ventilators uncovered, clear, and ready? Check!
• Swimming pool clean and pumps running? Check!
• Grill cleaned and plenty of charcoal on hand? Check!

Now, how about those less obvious items? How about taking care of the foundation? While not one of the most glamorous things you can do around the house as we get ready for summer, taking care of your foundation is one of the most important. Neglect the simple things like your foundation now and you'll be paying for it (literally!) down the road.

One of the easiest yet most effective ways to ensure your foundation stays in good shape is to regulate the moisture in the soil in and around the foundation. While you can't control how hot it gets, you can control how much moisture is in the soil. To do this, you water the soil around your house foundation on a regular basis throughout the summer and our seasonal drought period. The best tool for the job is a soaker hose, which distributes the water consistently and slowly.

The best way to use a soaker hose is to bury the hose three inches deep. You want to place the hose six inches from the edge of the foundation so that the soil is soaked evening.

Do not place the hose against the foundation. When the soil around your foundation is dried and cracked, water placed next to the foundation (via a soaker hose) runs through the cracks and then pools at the bottom of the grade beam (the thick portion of the foundation that is under the exterior walls). If this condition persist long enough, then this accumulation of water at the base of a foundation can reduce the soil's load bearing capacity. When the soil loses enough load bearing capacity, the foundation will sink and your house can be damaged.

During our hot and dry summers, it's necessary to water more. You'd be surprised at the amount of water necessary to keep a foundation stable during our hot Texas summers. Keep in mind that your landscaping has an effect, as well. One large tree (like our beautiful oaks and pecans, found all over North Texas) can pull up to 150 gallons of water from the soil each day. And, don't forget what bushes, shrubs, and other plants also remove water from the soil.

The trick to using soaker hoses to keep the soil west is consistency. You do not want to water extensively, let the soil dry out, and then water again. If you do that, you are only contributing to the shrink-and-swell cycle of the soil. Be sure to water on a consistent schedule and keep the soil wet. (Be sure to poke a finger into the soil or poke around with a stick. You want the moisture to go beyond just the surface.) You may find it necessary to run the soaker hoses almost daily during the peak of summer.

If you're concerned about your water bill, keep this in mind. Water will cost you cents a day but foundation repair can run into the thousands! Decide which you'd rather bear: a few cents a day or a big wallop in the wallet all at one time later.

So, do some grilling, do some laps in the pool, enjoy your air conditioning and don't forget to take care of your foundation so your home is trouble free and enjoyable.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.