How to Prevent Foundation Problems

Foundation cracks

Everybody wants to keep their home neat, tidy, and safe. Whether you live in a townhome in Kanata or a single-family home in Westboro, it should be the one place where you can find peace after a tough day at work. But to accomplish this, you have to understand how much time and commitment it takes to look after a home properly and give it the care it deserves.

The key to keeping your house standing without creating many problems is to maintain its foundation properly. People tend to pay attention to the foundation once they see cracks or leaks, but by then you’ve got a problem on your hands that needs help from foundation repair experts in Ottawa. What if you could dodge these problems altogether with a dose of preventative medicine? Here’s how:

Soil Around Your Home

The soil around the house should not be allowed to dry out completely. Dried soil shrinks and when it rains in your area, wet soil starts to swell at an exponential rate. It is only natural that the surroundings will get affected by this, and it is just sad news that the surroundings happen to be your foundation walls. To avoid this, when there is no rain pull out a water hose and keep your soil sufficiently hydrated (but not too saturated – that’s just as bad). However, make sure you keep the water away from the foundation walls as this could potentially cause a leak if there are any unseen cracks.

Tree Root Damage

Love having some green around your property? Sure, it makes for one pretty sight. But did you know that when there hasn’t been any downpour, the roots of the trees will suck up all the moisture from the soil? This causes your home’s foundation to settle in unpredictable ways. You can tell it has started to happen when the tree branches are within touching distance; cracks will start appearing along the drywalls and windows and doors will start jamming. If this happens, you may have to have the offending trees removed from your property. To prevent this from happening, do not plant trees within 10 feet of your home’s foundation.

Gutters & Downspouts

After it has rained and the water has collected on your roof, the water will start making its way down the roof through the downspout. If the downspout is short or damaged, then the water will collect on your foundation, damaging it. Every fall and spring, inspect your gutters and downspouts and make sure they are clear and functional. It’s a small price to pay to avoid major foundation issues!

Other than that, keep an eye out for the soil conditions around the house since it affects your house directly as we have discussed above. Treat your home gently and it will be a sure thing that you will have your home in perfect condition to love in the future. For tips on preventing foundation problems, give City Residential Foundation Repair a call today. We’d be happy to help!

 

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Reviews

A JOB WELL DONE BY 'CITY FOUNDATION'

I would have no hesitation in recommending City Foundation. They fixed up my foundation last summer and although the old house produced a few surprises, the professionals at City Foundation got around the problems cheerfully and completed the work. From the start, Chuck kept me informed of all of my options. If I asked for something not already in the plan, he would try to accommodate me if at all possible Chuck and his colleague Don were friendly, and respectful. They showed up every day, put in a solid day's work and always left the property clean, neat and safe for us to move around. And, the price was fair with no surprises. Great guys, good job!

- Jennifer A 5/30/2015

Excellent service, friendly

We had Chuck and his team repair a crack in our cold storage room - they were punctual, neat, and friendly. The job was completed very quickly with great results. Would definitely hire them again and recommend them to friends.

- Janet M. 5/26/2015

Good job!

Chuck did a very good job. He promised to be finished by a certain date and he was good to his word. He kept me informed of his progress through pictures sent to my email account while I was at work. My backyard is nicely landscaped and there was no damage or debris left in my yard - just a new window well and no basement leaks.

- Kathryn T. 4/14/2015

Can't say enough about the workmanship of Chuck and his crew. They assessed the problem(leak in the foundation) quoted me a price, booked appointment, showed up on time and did a very professional job.The work site was cleaned up to the point it was hard to tell there had been any serious digging at the site. If I have similar problems with my foundation they will be the first people I will call!! I would not hesitate to recommend Chuck and his crew if you have foundation problems that need repair. Duncan Hardie

- Duncan H. 4/12/2015

Professsional and Polite

My experience with City Residential was very positive. I had a crack on my foundation and knew we needed it fixed. They came in and addressed the situation and did the work cleanly and professionaly. Our property was kept nice and tidy during the repairs and they worked safely during the work. Its been a few years now since the work and no issues whatsoever. I will be using them again once we decided to fix a few areas around the garage that they pointed out would need fixing someday. Very happy and positive experience.

- Chris L. 4/6/2015

Foundation Crack (back) and Drainage (front)

The foundation crack at the back was difficult to get to and difficult to dig out. The work was done well and on time. the drainage trench at the front was also done very well and on time. I hope I don't need Chuck again but if I have foundation, drainage issues, he will be my 1st call. bc

- Barry C. 3/30/2015

This is a highly professional company with reliable, honest service. Chuck, the owner, came exactly when promised, took the time to listen to my concerns, explained the problem in an easy to understand language, described in great detail how it could be fixed, and what was - and what was not - necessary. Chuck and his team's attitude and service were at all times very honest, courteous and highly professional. Although I needed to be out of town, there were no surprises or additional costs, and everything was left tidy and clean. Chuck even followed up a couple of days later to check if everything was all right and done to my satisfaction. All in all, I was very impressed with the quality of work and the services received and would highly recommend the company.

- Beate A. 3/30/2015

City Residential Foundation Repair

Chuck Naish and his team from City Residential Foundation Repair were excellent to deal with in every aspect. Their level of integrity throughout the entire process was outstanding. They were honest, respectful and their ability to explain the process and the solution options were extremely helpful to us. The scope of the project was big, however Chuck walked us through every step of the way; assessment, testing, options and repairs which resulted in a very successful outcome. In addition, Chuck and his team were able to complete the necessary repairs with minimal impact to our newly completed landscaping which included a lot of hard scape, tiered armour stone, gardens and a pool. They kept the work site impeccable over the duration of the project. We have and will continue to highly recommend Chuck Naish for his very professional and skilled foundation repair work.

- Annette and Rick B. 3/8/2015

My experience with City Residential was great. Chuck was very friendly and very easy to deal with. I especially appreciated that he was able to come by and do the estimate in the evening when I was off work. They did the work exactly as they said they would, no surprises (which in my mind is the most you can ask for). I was really surprised by how clean they left everything in the evenings and when the job was complete. They will definitley be the first people I call if I ever need more foundation work.

- Charlie A 3/2/2015

Weeping Tile system replaced

We are very please with the work that was done. It was always a pleasure to speak with the owner and explain to him what was going on. Although we found the job to be pricey, it is impossible for us to determine if it was adequate or not at it's hard to compare to others. He ran into several problems at my house while doing the job and he took it upon himself to call the City at two different occasion so they could do some testing before he could go on. Safety was very important for them so they took all the necessary precaution so that no one could get hurt or fall into the hole that were done all around the house.

- Gisele P. 1/29/2015
10 Reviews
90% Would Recommend