If you walk around your home during a dry stretch and notice a gap between the soil and the foundation, it can look concerning.
This is something homeowners around Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, and surrounding communities may notice during dry weather. Our soils can expand when they absorb moisture and shrink when they dry out.
A gap does not automatically mean there is a foundation problem. In many cases, the soil has simply dried and pulled away from the house.
So, should you do something about it, or just wait for rain?
Here is what homeowners should know.
Why Does Soil Pull Away From the Foundation?
Some of the soils in our area contain a significant amount of clay. Clay soil changes depending on how much moisture it contains. When it gets wet, it can expand. When it gets dry, it can shrink. During a long dry stretch, the soil next to your foundation may shrink enough to leave a visible gap.
In other words, the foundation may not have moved at all. The soil may simply have pulled away from it.
Do You Need to Fix the Gap?
Usually, the gap itself is not something that needs an immediate repair.
If the soil is simply dry and there are no other signs of foundation movement, monitoring it may be the most reasonable approach. When normal moisture conditions return, the soil may expand again.
What you do not want to do is assume the gap needs to be filled with water.
Should You Water Around Your Foundation?
Be careful with this approach. Adding a large amount of water directly into the gap can saturate the soil next to the foundation. That can contribute to basement moisture and may cause the soil to expand unevenly.
Normal lawn and landscaping watering during dry weather is different from intentionally pouring water along the foundation.
The goal is not to keep the soil constantly wet. It is to avoid creating extreme or concentrated moisture conditions around the house.
Check the Grading Around Your Home
This is one area where you may actually have something to correct, as soil around a foundation can settle over time. Once rain returns, those low areas can collect water next to the house.
Walk around your home and look at the general shape of the ground.
Does the ground encourage water to move away from the house?
Are there obvious depressions next to the foundation?
Does landscaping trap water against the home?
If you find a low area, correcting the grading may be worthwhile. The goal is to help surface water move away from the foundation rather than collect beside it.
That is different from simply filling a temporary gap caused by dry soil.
Take a Look at Your Downspouts
While you are outside, check your downspouts too. A roof can collect a lot of water during a heavy rain. You do not want all of that water dumping directly beside the foundation.
Make sure downspout extensions are connected and directing water away from the house to an area where it can continue draining.
Gutters, downspouts, grading, and landscaping all work together. Good drainage is usually more important than trying to control every change you see in the soil.
Does the Gap Mean Your Foundation Is Moving?
Not by itself. A soil gap tells you that the soil is dry enough to shrink, not whether the foundation has moved.
If you are concerned about foundation movement, look for other changes around the home, including:
• New or changing foundation cracks
• Cracks in interior walls
• Doors or windows that suddenly become difficult to operate
• Noticeable changes in floors
• Bowing or displacement in foundation walls
• Several changes appearing around the same time
The overall pattern matters much more than 1 condition by itself.
What Should You Do About Foundation Cracks?
Foundation cracks are common and can develop for several reasons. If you notice a crack, you do not necessarily need to assume the worst or immediately repair it.
Instead, take a clear photograph and save the date. You can also make a simple note about its approximate size and location, and make sure to check it again periodically.
If the crack becomes noticeably wider, develops displacement, or is accompanied by other signs of movement, further evaluation may be appropriate.
Monitoring gives you something much more useful than memory alone.
Check Again After It Rains
A dry period tells you something about the soil, and a good rain tells you something about the drainage.
After the next substantial rainfall, walk around the house again. Look for water collecting near the foundation and check where your downspouts are sending roof runoff. If water drains away reasonably well, that is useful information.
If you find standing water or consistently wet areas against the foundation, you may have a grading or drainage issue worth addressing.
So, Is the Solution Really Just to Wait?
Sometimes, yes. If you are only seeing a gap between dry soil and the foundation, there may not be anything that needs to be repaired.
Instead:
• Monitor the gap as weather conditions change
• Avoid dumping large amounts of water directly into it
• Check the grading around the home
• Make sure gutters and downspouts are working properly
• Watch for new or changing foundation cracks
• Look at the property again after it rains
The goal is not to prevent soil from ever changing. In our climate, soil conditions are going to change.
The more important goal is managing water around the home and watching for signs that the foundation itself may be moving.
Look at the Whole House, Not Just the Gap
A gap between dry soil and your foundation can look strange, but by itself, it does not mean the foundation is failing.
Around Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, and surrounding areas, changing moisture conditions can cause clay soils to expand and shrink throughout the year.
Instead of focusing only on the gap, look at the bigger picture. Check the grading, gutters, downspouts, drainage, foundation walls, and any changes you have noticed inside the home.
Nordic Inspections provides professional home inspections throughout Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, and surrounding North Dakota and Minnesota communities. During a home inspection, visible foundation conditions, grading, drainage, and other accessible components are evaluated as part of understanding how the home is performing as a whole.
Questions about a home or ready to schedule an inspection?
Text or call 701 566 1446, ext. 0.