How Winter Weather Affects Foundations

How Winter Weather Affects Foundations?

Here in North Texas the winter weather can bring loads of rain and at times even some snow. During this season the soil under and around your foundation may become over saturated from excess moisture. When rainwater collects in the ground it causes the soil to expand. This can temporarily be a relief on your foundation given that during the summer months the soil was without a sufficient amount of moisture to properly support the foundation. You may notice for example that some doors are now able to close when those same doors had difficulty closing in the heat of summer.

There is no wrong time or season to have foundation repairs done on your home, however repairs done during the winter do have some advantages. The main benefit of having pilings installed during the winter is that the lift may not be as significant given that the settled portion in need of repairs is organically raised due to the current moisture content in the soil, eliminating the need for a mechanical lift. Lifting a foundation during this season simply creates less stress to be placed on the home because it may already be in a more elevated position as opposed to the position it was in during the summer heat.

Something to consider during the winter season is drainage correction. A proper drainage system may be necessary if a significant amount of water is able to collect under or around your foundation causing an unnecessary amount of upheaval in your home. This can be easily identified if you have standing water along the foundation. In this case it would be reasonable to have the condition of the drainage checked out by one of our analysts here at Structured Foundation Repairs.

To summarize, while some rain may be temporarily beneficial to the foundation during these winter months, too much of it collecting around and under the foundation can be an issue which proper drainage correction could resolve. If you notice that during these months you have an overwhelming amount of water that sits along your foundation, we would encourage you to reach out to our team at Structured Foundation Repairs and schedule an initial free evaluation by calling us at 972-484-1200