Realized I was watering my foundation wrong after that crack showed up near the back door

I spent 6 years soaking the soil right next to the slab twice a week when I should have been watering a couple feet out to keep the clay from pulling away, and that quarter-inch crack in the foundation wall was my wake-up call has anyone else had to re-learn how to water for their soil type?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaret_jackson7315d ago

Different soils really do soak up water differently though. In my experience with heavy clay around here, watering a couple feet out helps but only if you're doing it slowly enough that it actually penetrates. I tried that method for two summers and still had a crack show up because the clay just repelled the water if I used a sprinkler. Your mileage may vary but I found that watering in cycles, like 15 minutes on then 15 minutes off to let it soak in, worked way better than just moving the hose farther out. The crack near the back door could also be from the patio slope draining toward the foundation instead of away from it. That's what my neighbor's issue was and he was watering perfect.

nancy52415d ago

Also that slow watering trick really makes a difference. Running a sprinkler on low for 20 minutes, turning it off for 15, then going again for another 20 is what finally helped my clay soil actually absorb instead of just running off.