Texas contractors seeing increased calls for foundation work as heat pummels homes

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Texas contractors like Mike Conwell are used to increased summer foundation work, but this summer has been extra busy. As a lack of rain continues to punish East Texas, weakened soil is leaving homes more vulnerable to foundation cracks.

“Right now because of the dry weather, we are having a lot of foundation and slab foundation problems because the soil has shrunk up from the expansion and the contraction of the dry season,” said Conwell. “All the slabs are breaking up right now.”

Conwell said he’s 30 to 35 percent busier than usual. The historic heat isn’t helping homes either, he said.

“The heat just dries it up, makes it as dry as can be. The dirt is dust right now, so it’s breaking up,” said Conwell.

Conwell said the best way to protect your home is to make repairs as soon as you notice an issue. He said that some people like to water their property to prevent such problems, but that doesn’t always help.

“If you water it today, it’s gonna be dry tomorrow,” said Conwell. “If you water it for two hours today, it’s not gonna get six inches into the ground anyway...if you have an 18-inch beam, you’re not watering down to the bottom.”

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