Winter may finally be coming to a close but the effects of the frigid months and heavy snowfall this year are still definitely being felt around the country, often in damaging and dangerous ways. One of the most harmful of these threats is known as frost heaving, and it’s danger is only increased because of how commonly it goes unseen until major, costly repair and replacement services are required to undo its damage.
Frost heaving is a naturally occurring process which creates instability and uneven footing for the foundations of buildings through an on-going freezing/thawing process beneath the property. When left unchecked, this process can cause severe, sometimes irreversible damage to a property and in some instances has even resulted in building condemnation and collapse. Luckily homeowners who are mindful of signs of trouble around their foundation have a number of ways to combat the effects of frost heaves which, if properly and quickly performed can significantly reduce the risk of foundation damage while also ensuring that the reliability, stability, and comfort of your home is protected as the frost begins to melt on 2015. Here are just a few of the proven ways to protect your home against frost heaving that you can count on to save you stress, time, and money every year!
Snow Control
Frost heaves initially form as snow and ice surrounding your home undergoes the thawing/freezing cycle throughout the winter season, it makes sense then that one of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of frost heaving is to take the time to remove snow from the area immediately surrounding the home. That said, in years like this one when record snowfalls were reported around the country, this is often not as easy as it sounds. Still, any snow removal from around your home helps to defend your home’s foundation, particularly if it allows any melting snow and ice a route of moving away from the property instead of beneath it.
Insulation for Plumbing and Basements
On the long list of benefits which proper insulation installation creates you can now add defending against frost heaves! Much of the thawing that snow and ice around your home undergoes each year stems from heat escaping from your basement and plumbing. This escaping heat allows lower snow and ice to melt into the soil beneath your home, and once your soil is inundated all it takes is an overnight freeze to resolidify and push up against your property’s foundation. By having your home’s basement and plumbing lines professionally insulated, you not only save money by preventing heat loss but also ensure that the heat generated within your home doesn't translate into melting outside your home.
Landscaping Choices
The most effective way to prevent soil inundation from occurring (and frost heaves that occur as a result) is to equip your home’s landscape with soil which is as permeable as possible. Choosing to surround your home with a layer of gravel or coarse soil makes it possible for any melting ice and snow to find ways of leaving the area in a variety of ways instead of exclusively seeping downward where it will freeze and resolidify. That said, this is often seen as too major of a project for homeowners to explore and so professionals advise implanting a layer of mulch around the foundation of the home as a compromise. The mulch will insulate the ground beneath it and make it more difficult for refreezing to occur.
