Soil erosion can cause serious problems for your home’s foundation. When the topsoil becomes displaced due a loss of moisture or a geological shift, it has the potential to shift your foundation, too, resulting in problems such as buckling walls, warped flooring, and a sagging roof. Here, the foundation repair professionals at Jaco Waterproofing, with locations in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, offer three tips to help you prevent this from happening.

3 Tips to Help You Avoid Foundation Repairs

1. Plant More Trees

Planting more trees around your property will work to establish root systems that may have been damaged when trees were uprooted before building your home. Roots stabilize the soil and prevent erosion, thus eliminating the need for foundation repairs.

Some properties with sloped yards make it difficult to plant trees and have them reach maturity quickly. If that’s the case, planting perennial grass may also do the trick.

It may seem unusual to plant rocks, but strategically placing them around your property can shift water runoff away from your home. This is a useful, temporary way to prevent soil erosion while you’re waiting for your trees to mature.

2. Put in a Retaining Wall or Stepped Terrace

Retaining walls defy the laws of gravity by redirecting water and preventing the soil from eroding. They will hold the slope in place and help you avoid the need for foundation repairs by stabilizing the topsoil.

If you don’t want to install a full retaining wall, consider a stepped terrace, which is a smaller version. These structures are strategically placed in intervals down the slope. The ground is leveled off at each section to create the look of a terrace while also anchoring the soil from the bottom up.

3. Install a Steel-Piled Wall

Some properties are positioned at the bottom of major hills or areas where rock sliding is a common problem. Fortunately, mesh wires and drapes can prevent rock sliding. Steel-piled walls are created by drilling steel piles into the ground and inserting panels made of wood or concrete. These are often seen when driving around a mountain ridge.

Prevent damage and the need for foundation repairs with the help of Jaco Waterproofing. Serving both Cincinnati and Indianapolis, they can offer a wide variety of solutions to address foundation issues. To learn more, call (513) 738-0084 for Cincinnati; if you’re in the Indianapolis area, call (317) 721-9379. You can also visit them online.