Many people mistakenly believe that foundation repair only involves dealing with the actual foundation. While much of the actual repair will be towards restoring or strengthening your foundation, a reliable repair contractor will also consider factors that affect the health of your foundation and provide solutions for them. The grading of your yard is one such factor. A yard with a negative grade causes water to pool around the foundation. This results in an increase in hydrostatic pressure acting against the foundation. If this isn’t addressed, you could end up dealing with serious foundation damage.
In order to prevent water from pooling around your foundation, your yard will need to be re-graded. The following are some tips to ensure you get the best results from grading your yard.
- Don’t attempt to DIY
Many homeowners attempt to re-grade their own yards. After all, it’s just about transferring dirt from one corner to another. Wrong. There’s a lot that goes into ensuring that the grade of your yard is right and that the land drains water properly. If you get it wrong, you could end up causing even more damage to your foundation. You can avoid this by having a professional foundation repair contractor do the grading for you. They will ensure your yard drains properly and your foundation is protected.
- Identify utility lines
It is important to identify utility lines such as gas, telephone, electric, and sewer lines prior to beginning the work. This ensures that care is taken while working near these lines to avoid damaging them. You will also want to identify the closest storm drainage to your home. You will want to direct runoff to this drainage.
- Order a lot of dirt
There’s no such thing as too much dirt. It is better to have more dirt than you need rather than having less dirt. Order a load of topsoil and have it delivered to your home. Your contractor can help you determine how much will be needed and how much more you should order for any unexpected problems.
- Transplant your greenery
Are there plants that you love and don’t want to lose? Consider transplanting them before the work on your yard begins. This will ensure you can save the plants you love.
Are you thinking of re-grading your yard? Use the tips above to get better results from the process.
Contact the Professionals at Foundation Worx! 404-662-5173