In Texas, watering your home’s concrete foundation can save you on costly repairs

Brayden Garcia
Adele L. Wilcoxen/Johnson County K-State Research and Extension.

It’s July in Texas, which means it is exceptionally hot.

While there is plenty to do to keep yourself calm, cool and collected, how to treat a house foundation is something else all together. Unlike plants or pets, a house doesn’t have much choice on being out in the blistering sun.

The foundation is one of the first things set when building a house. Concrete is poured and reinforced with steel rods. The structure serves as the ground floor of the house and supports everything that sits on it.

How does weather affect a house’s foundation?

When there is hot or dry weather it causes the soil to shrink, leading to foundation issues, according to HD Foundations, Inc.

As the temperature climbs to 100 degrees, the soil around a slab or pier and beam foundations shrinks and begins to move around and settle. This movement compresses the foundation, often creating cracks on the concrete. This weakens the structure.

Another byproduct of the heat is it can cause a foundation to sink to the ground.

The foundation of a house will continue to settle and move as soil conditions around it changes. If the foundation continues to crack and move, it could cause cracks in the floors and walls of the home, according to Done Right Foundation Repair.

Here’s how foundation damage can affect a home:

  • Possible cracks in the slab.

  • Uneven floors in the house.

  • Cracks in the house walls.

  • Cracks in door and window frames.

  • Doors and windows sticking.

What can I do to help my foundation?

There is a way to help slow or stop foundations from cracking. Water the foundation. Keeping the soil moist will keep the ground cool to avoid shrinking.

A soaker hose is recommended by many foundation experts as the tool to keep the foundation moist.

What is a soaker hose?

A soaker hose is unlike a regular garden hose and is the best option for foundation maintenance, according to Done Right Foundation Repair.

Typically, a soaker hose is all black and has a textured finish to it. It is known as a “weeping hose”, because water slowly seeps out of the hose onto the ground. These hoses are beneficial for foundation work, due to the water secreting out of the entire hose, instead of just at the nozzle.

Soaker hoses are recommended to be placed about 6 to 22 inches away from the foundation of a house. The water will slowly seep into the ground and make its way into soil.

It’s recommended to use the soaker hose method at least three times a week for around 15 to 20 minutes each time. This will keep the ground moist, but not saturated, which can also cause foundation issues, according to Done Right Foundation Repair.

Will using a soaker hose increase my water bill?

Any kind of water usage will cause the monthly bill to increase.

The nature of soaker hoses are to slowly seep out water, which is different compared to a regular garden hose with a controlled nozzle.

Yes, using a soaker hose will increase your water bill, but many experts say that the cost of repairing foundation cracks could cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands.

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