How Winter Weather Affects Foundations
If you think foundation problems slow down during winter, think again. Heavy rains are a common cause of foundation water damage, but snow can be just as detrimental. When temperatures rise above freezing, melting snow can create conditions similar to flooding after heavy rains in the summer months.
For foundation repair contractors, understanding how winter weather affects foundations can help identify potential problems and recommend appropriate solutions.
Problems Caused by a Wet Foundation
A lot of foundations are built with concrete, stone, or brick, all of which do a fair job of keeping basements dry. However, as these materials are porous, water can still make its way inside—particularly if there’s a lot of it in a short amount of time. Water collecting around your foundation can lead to the following issues:
• Cracking. Water can seep into existing openings and contribute to foundation damage, including cracks.
• Bowing walls. Soil expands when wet, and too much expansion puts pressure on foundation walls, which can cause bowing.
• Heaving. Foundation heaving occurs when moisture-saturated or freezing soil forces a foundation upward.
A home’s foundation is one of its most important structural components, but many problems aren’t noticed until visible signs begin to develop. Contractors should be aware of these warning signs when evaluating foundation damage during the winter months.
How to Prepare Foundations for Winter
The key to helping protect foundations against winter weather is proper exterior maintenance and drainage. Pay attention to outdoor maintenance tasks such as:
• Taking care of gutters. Gutters are designed to carry rainwater away from your house’s foundation. If the gutters are draining properly but the ground around the foundation remains wet or shows signs of erosion, consider extending the downspouts.
• Shoveling snow. Keeping snow from accumulating directly against the foundation can help reduce the amount of water collecting near the structure when temperatures rise. Proper snow removal and drainage can help minimize moisture problems.
• Landscaping and maintaining a drainage system. The landscape immediately surrounding a home should slope downward to direct water away from the foundation. If this is not possible, a French drain or another drainage system may help manage excess water.
• Waterproofing. It is a good idea to waterproof the lowest level of a home in addition to the foundation. The ground tends to freeze in winter, and frozen soil is not very absorbent; water that would be absorbed into the ground during warmer months will need somewhere else to go. Too much snow could result in snowmelt that rises higher than the foundation.
Helping Contractors Address Winter Foundation Problems
Winter foundation problems can be challenging, especially when melting snow, poor drainage, and freezing temperatures contribute to excess moisture around a structure.
Foundation repair and waterproofing contractors play an important role in identifying these problems and recommending appropriate solutions.
At Earth Contact Products (ECP), we provide contractors with foundation repair and waterproofing products, on-site training, engineering expertise, and technical support to help them tackle challenging projects with confidence.
Looking for a partner to support your foundation repair business? Learn more about becoming an ECP partner.