Homeowner Tips on Saving Energy

Being a Fort Worth and Dallas area home inspector has taught me some simple methods homeowners can perform to help reduce your energy bills.
Homeowners can easily conduct a simple home energy audit for themselves to find and repair obvious issues. With a simple walk-through, you can spot many problems within the house.
Locating Air Leaks
It’s possible to save 5% to 30% per year in energy savings from reducing drafts in a home, and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward. Homeowners can check for indoor air leaks, such as gaps along the baseboard or edge of the flooring, and at junctures of the walls and ceiling. Air might be flowing through places such as:
•electrical outlets;
•switch plates;
•window frames;
•baseboards;
•weatherstripping around doors;
•fireplace dampers;
•attic hatches; and
•wall- or window-mounted air conditioners.
Gaps around electrical outlets, pipes and wires, foundation seals should be checked. Caulking and weatherstripping should be applied properly, leaving no gaps or cracks, and should be in good condition.
Homeowners can inspect windows and doors for air leaks. If they rattle, they probably leak air. If there’s daylight around a door or window frame, then the door or window leaks.
Here’s an easy way to help locate the leaks within your home by performing a pressurization test:
1.First, close all exterior doors, windows, and fireplace flues.
2.Turn off all combustion appliances, such as gas-burning furnaces and water heaters.
3.Then turn on all exhaust fans (generally located in the kitchen and bathrooms), or use a large window fan to suck the air out of the rooms.
This test increases infiltration through cracks and leaks, making them easier to detect. My favorite thing to use is Incense sticks. If incense sticks are used, moving air will cause the smoke to waver and if you pick the right scent, smells good. You could also mist your hand to locate these leaks and if a damp hand is used, any drafts will feel cool.
On the outside of the house, a homeowner can inspect all areas where two different building materials meet, including:
•all exterior corners;
•where siding and chimneys meet; and
•areas where the foundation and the bottom of exterior brick or siding meet.
Holes or penetrations for electric outlets, wiring, faucets, and pipes should be sealed and caulked. Cracks and holes in the mortar, foundation, and siding should be found and sealed with an appropriate material. The exterior caulking around doors and windows should be checked to see whether exterior storm doors and primary doors seal tightly.
Insulation
If the insulation levels are less than the recommended minimum, heat loss through the ceiling and walls in a home could be extensive . When the house was built, the builder likely installed the amount of insulation recommended at that time. Given today’s energy prices (and future prices that will probably be higher), the level of insulation might be inadequate, especially if the home is older.
I see attic hatches that are inside the conditioned home left unattended and loss of energy is abundant. If the attic hatch is located above a conditioned space, it should be as heavily insulated as the attic, weatherstripped, and closed tightly. In the attic, the openings for items such as pipes, ductwork, and chimneys should be sealed. Any gaps should be sealed with an expanding foam caulk or some other permanent sealant.
The attic vents should not be blocked by insulation. Electrical boxes in the ceiling should be sealed with flexible caulk (from the living room side or attic side). Also, the entire attic floor should be covered with at least the current recommended amount of insulation.
Heating/Cooling Equipment
The homeowner should inspect the heating and cooling equipment annually, or as recommended by the manufacturer. If the HVAC system is a forced-air furnace, the air filters should be checked and replaced as needed. Generally, they should be changed about once every month or two, especially during periods of high usage.
Have a professional check and clean the equipment once a year.
If the unit is more than 15 years old, the homeowner should consider replacing the system with one of the newer, energy-efficient units. A new unit would greatly reduce their energy consumption, especially if the existing equipment is in poor condition.
Lighting
Energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of an electric bill for a typical residential house. A homeowner could check the wattage size of the light bulbs in the house. There may be 100-watt (or larger) bulbs where 60 or 75 watts would do. Homeowners should also consider compact fluorescent lamps for areas where lights are on for hours at a time. Their electric utility may offer rebates or other incentives for purchasing energy-efficient lamps.
You can contact your utility company to see if they offer free or discounted energy audits to their customers. In many states across the country, homeowners can get a free energy audit. If not, they can hire a home energy professional to evaluate the home’s energy efficiency.

Is Yout A/C Duct Leaking

FORT WORTH DALLAS HOME INSPECTOR ON LEAKING A/C DUCTS.
CENTRAL HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS USE AN AIR DISTRIBUTION OR DUCT SYSTEM TO CIRCULATE HEATED AND/OR COOLED AIR TO ALL THE CONDITIONED ROOMS IN A HOUSE. EVEN WHEN PROPERLY DESIGNED, DUCT SYSTEMS MUST BE INSTALLED CORRECTLY TO BE EFFICIENT, MAINTAIN UNIFORM TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE, OPERATE QUIETLY, AND NOT ADVERSELY IMPACT COMFORT OR INDOOR AIR QUALITY

AT LEAHY’S INSPECTIONS WE LOOK THE SYSTEM OVER AND IF THE DUCT WORK IS BAD AND LEAKING, I MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO REPAIR OR REPLACE IT.
MAKE SURE DUCTS ARE PROPERLY SEALED AND INSULATED IN ALL NON-AIR-CONDITIONED SPACES RUNNING FROM OUR AIR CONDITIONERS AND HEATING SYSTEMS.
DUCT LEAKS CAN BE SEALED USING MASTIC OR ACRYLIC-ADHESIVE FOIL TAPE. MASTIC ADHERES WELL TO MOST SURFACES AND PROVIDES AN EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM SEAL. MASTIC ALONE MAY BE USED TO SEAL CRACKS LESS THAN ¼” WIDE. FOIL TAPE CARRIES A 20-YEAR GUARANTEE IF APPLIED PROPERLY.

ANY SEALANT SHOULD CARRY THE UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY RATING (UL-181)SPECIFIC FOR THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF DUCT. MOST DUCT MANUFACTURERS ARE NOW LISTING THE CLOSURE PRODUCTS THAT THEY ALLOW TO BE USED WITH THEIR DUCTS.
IF YOUR DUCTWORK IS UNINSULATED, CONSIDER ADDING 1½” TO 3″ OF INSULATION AND WRAPPING WITH AN EXTERIOR VAPOR RETARDER. SOME BUILDING CODES REQUIRE THAT DUCTWORK HAVE A MINIMUM INSULATION VALUE.
IF YOU SEE THE CONTRACTOR BRINGING IN DUCT TAPE, HIRE SOMEONE ELSE. IN THE PAST, MANY SYSTEMS WERE SEALED WITH A GRAY, RUBBER-ADHESIVE, CLOTH DUCT TAPE. THIS TAPE WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL DUE TO ITS SHORT-LIVED RUBBER-BASED GLUE. IF YOU SEE THIS KIND OF TAPE IN AN EXISTING HOME, BE SURE TO CHECK ALL AREAS WHERE IT IS ATTACHED TO THE DUCTS.
WHY DUCT INSTALLATION AND SEALING ARE IMPORTANT
THE EFFICIENCY OF AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE 60-75% OR LESS IN MANY HOUSES BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT AND/OR POORLY INSTALLED DUCT INSULATION AND LEAKS IN DUCT SYSTEMS. PROPERLY DESIGNED AND INSTALLED DUCT SYSTEMS CAN HAVE EFFICIENCIES OF 80% OR MORE FOR LITTLE OR NO ADDITIONAL COST, POTENTIALLY SAVING A HOMEOWNER $50-200 OR MORE PER YEAR IN HEATING AND COOLING COSTS. DUCT SYSTEMS THAT LEAK AND/OR DO NOT DISTRIBUTE AIR PROPERLY THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE MAY MAKE SOME ROOMS TOO HOT AND OTHERS TOO COLD.

LEAKY AND UNBALANCED DUCT SYSTEMS FORCE CONDITIONED AIR OUTSIDE AND UNCONDITIONED AIR INTO THE HOUSE. THIS INCREASES HEATING AND COOLING COSTS AND MAY ALSO DRAW HUMIDITY, DUST, MOLD SPORES, AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS INTO A HOME FROM THE ATTIC, CRAWLSPACE, OR GARAGE AND RADON’S. MOST AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING SYSTEMS REQUIRE SOME FORM OF DUCT WORK TO CHANNEL OR DIRECT THE AIR TO PLACES IN THE DWELLING WHERE THE CONDITIONED AIR IS NEEDED.
THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF DUCT WORK AVAILABLE AND OFTEN TIMES THE DUCT WORK CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR UTILITY BILLS. FOR THAT REASON, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE DUCT WORK IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY BY QUALIFIED INSTALLATION TECHNICIANS. A POOR INSTALLATION JOB WILL RESULT IN POOR PERFORMANCE, BAD AIR FLOW, LEAKY DUCT WORK SYSTEMS, AND HIGHER THAN USUAL UTILITY BILLS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE DESIGN AND INSTALL YOUR SYSTEM FROM START TO FINISH SO THAT YOU GET THE BEST AND HIGHEST PERFORMING DUCT WORK SYSTEM MONEY CAN BUY. IT IS ALSO CRITICAL THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING DUCT WORK SYSTEM BE DESIGNED FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING LOAD.

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Jetted Tub

I recently performed my routine maintenance on the jacuzzi tub we have in the master bath. I thought I would share some of the tips I’ve picked up during my home inspection career. I’m always seeking to better my knowledge on questions that may come up during one of my home inspections.
All whirlpool bathtubs have a small amount of residual water left in the pipeline. Minerals in water begin a process of calcifying around the insides of your pipes. This hard scale build up not only restricts water flow, but becomes a perfect breading ground for infectious bacteria. As the algae breaks off, you will see it in your bath water as ugly black flecks.
While there are certain necessary procedures to maintaining your whirlpool tub, they’re nothing that will be too difficult to complete. Proper use and maintenance will ensure your tub can be enjoyed for many years.
The best product that I recommend using is called ahh-some bio cleaner. It is safe for the environment and for human ingestion (when used in water vessels for bio cleaner), eradicates the harmful bacteria, mold spores, algae, oils and gunk on the walls of the jetted tub piping. Also has no damaging affect on the rubber seals around the pump motor.
Here’s how to maintain your jetted tub with ahh-some or just normal household products.
Step 1
Determine your usage. If you use your tub regularly, then more regular monthly cleaning and maintenance is going to be necessary. If you only use your tub occasionally, maintenance every three to four months will be adequate.
Step 2
Set air control knobs. If your tub has this feature, make sure they are closed.
Step 3
Fill tub. Fill the tube high enough so that it reaches nearly two inches above the highest jets. This water doesn’t have to be hot, but it will be more effective if it’s at least warm.
Step 4
Add a cleaning solution. Add two tablespoons of dishwasher detergent to the tub of water. This can be regular detergent that you would use in your dishwasher. Powder or liquid will work.
Step 5
Run the whirlpool. Turn the tub’s jets on and let it run for 15 to 20 minutes. This lets all the soapy water run through the tub’s plumbing system to clean out any residue in the pipes.
Step 6
Drain and rinse. Allow the tub to drain normally, rinse the tub out and then clean the tub itself with a non-abrasive cleanser.
Step 7
Use bleach in the next cleaning. Add 1/2 cup of regular, household bleach to the water when you clean the tub next time. Never use to much bleach, even though it is somewhat effective in killing some germs and algae, it also breaks down the rubber seal on you pump motor which can create a leaky tub and possible water damage.
The only other way to eliminate the buildup within the pipes is to avoid high sudsing soaps, bath salts, mineral salts or bubble bath. Who wants a jetted tub and use fresh water only. That’s why its very important to kept your jetted tub maintained so it will last and keep you from spending unnecessary money having repaired or worst case replaced.

Caring for Your Landscaping During Heat Wave

During the hot Texas summer heat waves, all our hard work from the spring can go right out the window on our lawn and landscapes. Extra care needs to be done in order to keep the plants in our landscapes alive during the summer and especially during a heat wave. Here are some tips to keep your plants healthy and help them survive a heat wave.
Water, of course, is essential to keep your plants alive. If you are used to watering once a week, you will need to increase that to twice, and possible three times a week.
Note that young plants and trees that were planted during the spring will need extra care. Where a full grown older tree can go a weeks without any watering, a young tree still needs help. Water them every 2-3 days.
Potted plants need to be watered every day. They should be fine in the summer sun, but if there is a heat wave it may be necessary to provide shade for your potted plants or move them under a tree, until the heat wave passes. Because the potted plants are young and because the pot causes the soil to dry out they need to be tended to every day.
Mulch on your plants keep the soil from drying out and helping you to cut back on your watering. The thicker the mulch the better. You should have mulch on your potted plants, too. Another trick is to group your potted plants together and pile mulch around the outside of the pots.
During the summer do not fertilize your plants. The plants will slow their growth down during the hot days, to fight the heat and you do not want to put fertilizer on them to encourage them to grow.
Some rules for watering lawns with heavy clay is to water more frequently for shorter periods of time. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, adding time usually just runs water off of the lawn and into the street. On your controller there are 3 or 4 separate start times that you can set up to run at night. For example, run a lawn zone for 5 to 10 minutes or until the water starts to run off. Sometimes it will only take 3 or 4 minutes, but the problem is that you need more time to saturate into the soil. In this case, set up 2 or 3 more start times at short intervals and run them through the night at different times to allow water to soak into the soil.
Plants are different. I usually set our controllers to operate 2 or 3 times per week, watering down to the roots for say 10 to 15 minutes and don’t water again for at least a day or maybe even 2 to 3 days later. Remember, too much water can damage your plants.

Do You Have Bed Bugs

When people think about blood sucking insects, they first picture a mosquito or tick. Did you know bed bugs are also blood suckers. The tiny, sneaky insects are spreading so rapidly across the United States that almost no region or area is unbitten, a new survey suggests. The United States has seen a 50-fold increase in bed bug infestations over the last five years, according to the National Pest Management Association. An entomologist told MSNBC, “It’s like the return of the wooly mammoth,” as many of his peers had previously never seen a single bed bug in their careers. The outbreak has affected most parts of North America and Europe, especially in urban areas. Most cities have bed bug problems today,” says Michael F. Potter, University of Kentucky professor of entomology and one of the co-authors of the study. “Any place you have a lot of people, or a lot of movement of people, you have bed bugs.
The unpleasantness of a typical rodent or insect extermination is largely the fee charged by the exterminator. But with bed bugs, this fee is just one piece of a greater nightmare. Because bed bugs are adept at hiding almost anywhere, an alarming quantity of possessions, from curtains to books and picture frames, must be discarded or quarantined. In one posh New York City rental tower, a tenant was forced to part with carpets, bedding, curtains, 20 cashmere sweaters, an Armani suit, a couch, a headboard, a night table, a bedframe, and an exercise bike, according to the New York Daily News. Other victims have had to throw away their books unless they were willing to inspect each one, page by page. Some possessions may be salvaged if they are sealed in special casing long enough for the bed bugs to die, which can takes many months. During this time, residents may be forced to move to temporary housing elsewhere. “There are still an amazing number of people that think bed bugs are some kind of folklore,” he says. “Or, if they do know about them, they think it’s due to poor hygiene, or it’s a problem that only affects the lower classes.”
Fortunately, the health dangers posed by bed bugs seem to be limited to temporary skin irritation and inflammation, akin to mosquito bites. There are no known cases of disease transmission from bed bugs to humans, despite the fact that the parasites seem similar to other parasites that do transmit disease, such as fleas and ticks. Anaphylactic shock, however, may be experienced by a small percentage of the population, and measures should be taken to prevent bacterial infection of bitten areas.
Hidden, until it’s too late
From there the stealthy bugs took hold and spread. Bed bugs don’t live on people, but they can hitchhike around in suitcases, purses, backpacks and computer bags. Because they hide during the day and feed on you painlessly while you sleep, they are very difficult to detect.
In addition, it takes about a week before an allergic reaction to the bites appears, so it can be hard to know exactly where the encounter took place. Roughly 30 percent of people living with infestations don’t develop an allergic reaction until being attacked multiple times, researcher Potter says. And since people simply aren’t expecting them outside urban areas, it can take while to identify bedbugs as the cause.
That gives the pesky insects a three- to four-month head start on any efforts to control them, a significant lead for critters who lay lots of eggs and whose eggs hatch in about two weeks.
Getting rid of bed bugs is difficult even for professionals, who rate them far more difficult to deal with than ants, termites or cockroaches. Effective treatments are available, but they’re expensive and time-consuming. A thorough inspection to detect bedbugs can involve specially trained dogs, followed by an application of pesticide and then a heat or cold treatment to kill eggs, which no chemical can currently do. The cost can be anywhere from $800 to $1,200 or more for a one-bedroom apartment, a steep price tag in the midst of a tough economy.

Alabama Home Inspectors

Alabama Home Inspections
Providing home inspections in Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, and the surrounding areas

Inspecting with a Moisture Meter

A moisture meter is a device designed to measure the moisture content of various building materials, such as roofing, siding, insulation, drywall, plaster, wood, tile and fiberglass. Structural and safety hazards, such as mold, rot and decay are all potential consequences of elevated moisture levels in these materials. An inspector can use a moisture meter to locate moisture that would not otherwise be apparent.
Here are a few ways that inspectors may find moisture meters useful:
•A moisture meter can be used to determine whether a material is moist enough to allow mold to grow. Mold will begin to accumulate on surfaces that contain approximately 20% moisture, although this value varies based on vapor pressure and other factors.
•An inspector can test the moisture level of a section of building material that appears to be dry, in order to establish a baseline from which other measurements can be compared.
Moisture meters can also be useful in the following applications that are not related to inspection:
•If a home has been vacated due to flooding, a moisture meter can be used to determine if the home is once again suitable for occupancy.
•Before a home is purchased, an inspector can use a moisture meter to determine if the house has leaks.
•A moisture meter can assist a homeowner in determining whether wood is dry enough to be painted or stained.
•Wood installers use moisture meters to make sure that wood is dry enough to be installed.
Modes of Operation
Moisture meters come in two different varieties known as pin type and search mode. They are each suited to different applications, and InterNACHI believes that the best meters contain both options.
Pin Type
This mode is used to measure the moisture content of a material’s surface, or at an incremental depth using probes. While in this mode, the meter can measure the amount of moisture on a material by its electrical conductivity. This is often regarded as a more repeatable and accurate type of moisture measurement than the “search mode” described below, although intermittent wet spots in the wood may be missed by pin type meters. This method can be used to test for moisture on the surface of building materials, such as stucco, drywall, plaster or wood. It is especially useful for determining if the source of a stain on a wall or ceiling is active, or if it has been repaired.
Probes of varying lengths and designs may be used to extend the reach of a moisture meter operating in this mode. They are slender metallic poles with sensitive tips that extend the reach of the meter’s electrodes. Delmhorst makes probes that can be inserted deep into the straw in straw homes to measure its moisture content. Hammer probes can be driven into wood and then extracted. Other probes can be inserted into pre-drilled holes in masonry, or pushed through insulation. Moisture content in log homes can be measured by inserting a probe two-thirds of the way from the log’s surface to its center.
Search Mode
Search mode, also known as pinless mode, detects and measures moisture content beneath the surface of a material. Meters in this mode emit electromagnetic waves (usually radio waves or an electrical current) that are affected by the presence of moisture. The meter can detect changes in the characteristics of returned emissions and then use this information to calculate moisture content. Meters manufactured by Tramex, for instance, operate by the principle that a material’s impedance (resistance) to an electrical current varies inversely with that material’s moisture content. The instrument determines the amplitude of a low-frequency alternating current, and uses this information to calculate moisture content. Other meters, such as those manufactured by Protimeter and Wagner, detect the characteristics of emitted radio waves in order to determine the presence of excess moisture. These meters detect the amplitude of returning waves, which is diminished when they come in contact with water.
The actual depth that these waves travel varies based on the material’s properties and the device’s settings, but they generally penetrate from ½” to ¾” beneath the surface and are unaffected by surface moisture. Unlike the pin type, this mode of operation arrives at a relative value for moisture content that must be calibrated, using an external equivalency table in some models. The meter will display moisture content as a scale of color-coded lights that indicate whether the material is damp, dry, or in a borderline condition. In other models, such as those made by Wagner, the default setting can be used to approximate moisture content in most materials, although dense materials, such as cement, will require adjustment of the device’s controls. In addition, Wagner’s meters take a three-dimensional moisture average of the wood, which decreases the likelihood that intermittent wet spots will be missed.
Search mode is commonly used in the following locations:
•the sides and the base of a tub or shower. Any penetrations, such as faucets, showerheads and soap dishes, are likely locations of water leaks. The water can originate from internal plumbing behind the wall, or from the shower itself.
•water that has escaped from a dishwasher into surrounding kitchen materials.
•the sub-floor beneath a bathroom’s tile floor. Water intrusion can cause enough damage there that the toilet becomes detached.
•peering behind a wall or floor covering, such as a vinyl floor or a tile wall.
False Readings
If metal is present within the penetrating range of the meter, it will alter wave characteristics in ways similar to water. The meter will report levels of moisture that are higher than the actual level of the material if it detects a copper wire, a metal pipe, or some other metallic substance. If an inspector suspects that the meter is sensing metal, s/he can monitor the readings as s/he moves the meter in a straight line away from the elevated reading area. The straight outline of a copper wire or metal pipe can usually be traced in this fashion.
In summary, moisture meters are capable of detecting moisture levels in most building materials. They are useful tools to have during home inspections because they can calculate the properties of inaccessible locations without causing them any damage. Two types of moisture meters are available, sometimes in the same model.

Sloppy Evaporator Coil Install

Came across this a/c systems evaporator coil today. It’s amazing how lazy some people are. If you pay a professional to do a job, you expect to get a professional job done. The coil was so off level, condensation was standing on the left side of the pan whenever the a/c was running. Here in Texas, that’s most of the year. After years of this happening, the pan finally rusted through and is now leaking into the secondary pan and beyond to the plenum. The plenum is leaking onto the ceiling and wall of the bedroom below. Now we have a huge mess with water damage and mold. The homeowner bought the house 2 years ago and didn’t get a home inspection. Homeowner called me out to find the cause. They thought it was the roof. Now they have to repair the water damage but also need to have the coil replaced all due to a lazy installation.

Roof Flashing

The main purpose of a roof is to protect the home from the elements. Rainfall is the #1 culprit of water getting underneath the roof structure. Water needs to be shed away from valleys, chimneys, ridges, eaves, rakes, skylights, roof penetrations and roof to wall intersections. Water built up in these particular locations can cause serious damage to the structure in wood rot and not to mention mold which is known to cause respiratory problems. The water usually doesn’t just stop there, it can penetrate down the attic structure, to the ceiling sheet-rock or down a wall and cause even more serious issues. The leak will not fix itself but rather get worse in time.
Roof flashing is usually the last defense in the battle of water penetration. Flashing forms the intersections and terminations of the roof structure to shed away the water to prevent such entry into you home.

The installation and correct type and the correct material is crucial to make the flashing work as intended. At Leahy’s Inspections the Fort Worth Home Inspector can give you the Fort Worth home inspection you need to make sure you stay dry at all times. On my next post, I’ll talk about the different type of flashing and where they are used within the roof structure.

Home Savers Foundation Repair

The number one question I get during home inspections is “How is the Foundation”. I decided to write this post to help people understand the North Texas area conditions regarding foundations. Movement in the foundation can be caused by many factors, the most common reason is differential soil movement. In the North Texas area many homes are sitting on top of expansive clay soils. Another term for this type of soil is “Sponge Soil”, increasing in volume in moisture gain and decreasing in moisture loss. When this volume increases or decreases in a uniformed matter all around the home, problems may not develop. When the soil moves differentially under and around the rest of the foundation is when you can develop stress in the structure.
The best way to minimize foundation movement is to have consistent moisture in the underlying soils as much as possible. Other issues that could cause foundation problems is plumbing leaks. One easy way to check if you could have a plumbing leak is to make sure all the water is turned off inside the home (make sure ice-maker and appliances with water are off) and at the water meter, on the meter dial (The smallest dial), mark where the needle is. After about 10 minutes, go back and check to see if the needle has moved beyond the mark and how much. If the needle has moved, you could have a leak somewhere. An example of minor movement could be a toilet flapper not sealed, leaking hose bibs, etc. Major movement is when you could have some major issues and could cause problems with the foundation.
Drainage is another big issue with foundation movement. The rule is to have 6 inches of slope every 10 ft. to have the proper drainage away from the foundation. Gutter downspouts should extend at least 3 ft. away from the foundation and splash blocks used to reduce erosion.
Trees can be an issue with depleting the moisture levels in the soils. Mature trees can extract hundreds of gallons water on a daily basis. Tree roots are attracted to the constant moisture around and under the foundation we apply to keep the foundation stable.
Good watering practices is the key to keep a foundation stable. A good sprinkler system watering in a uniformed amount or you can use a soaker hose. There is different techniques out there when it comes to placement location of the soaker hose. Some experts say 18 inches away from the foundation, some say 10 inches, some say 6 inches. Some experts say to bury the soaker hose 3 inches below ground. I personally don’t like to bury the hose due to not knowing if there is a problem with the hose during watering. I personally put my hose around the entire perimeter of the foundation about 12 inches out from foundation and seems to work fine.
Remember applying UNIFORMED watering techniques is the key to helping the foundation stay in a stable condition.