Frost Heaving Can Damage Your Foundation
It’s easy to forget about the foundation of your home. Often we simply regard it as that huge, solid thing that the rest of the house sits on and don’t give it much thought beyond that. But foundations, as solid as they are, aren’t invulnerable and a combination of the changing of seasons and the passing of years can actually move your foundation in ways that can eventually lead to large scale, expensive damage. One of those ways is something called “Frost Heaving.” Continue reading →
Usually when residents of Maryland and other New England states hear about another hurricane beating down on Florida and the Bahamas, the normal reaction is to sympathize with the people living in that part of the world, and get on with the business of daily life, thankful for the fact that this sort of thing never happens in this part of America. 
When it comes to drainage issues, a one size fits all approach will rarely work. Each drainage problem is unique. Problems will vary based on things like property elevation, water table levels, location, and even time of year. Due to the variety of drainage issues, it is always advisable to contact a professional service to determine the unique nature of your drainage problem and decide upon the best course of action. This course of action will be based on your unique circumstances, which is why there is no such thing as a one size fits all approach when it comes to drainage issues. 
Concrete has us all fooled. When we look at the solid stone of concrete walls and floors, we see the inextinguishable power and weight of stone, the unbreakable castles of Medieval Europe multiplied by the expertise and efficiency of modern technology. But not only is it easy for concrete blocks to crack and break apart over time, it’s practically a given. 
A grass lawn is rudimentary. Passé. Everyone has one, and they aren’t hard to keep up. However, planting a garden takes effort, and it shows a commitment to the beauty of nature. A vegetable garden can be a source of fresh and cheap vegetables, and if you’re particularly skilled and attentive, you can even raise the value of your property. 
One of the things a lot of people associate with a welcoming, familiar home is a tree in the yard, be it front, back or both. It provides shade in the summer, it makes property look more appealing, and there’s just something comforting about a home with one or more trees on it. Unfortunately, trees, like any living thing, are interested in growing as much as they can, and while often this is not an issue, sometimes, especially if the tree is close to the home, it can actually affect the state of a structure’s foundation given enough time. 
Water is one of the great mechanisms of change in the world. Water can carve massive canyons out of solid rock, and it can drop loads of sediment that fill in valleys and expand deltas. Plants and animals thrive in the presence of water, and without it you’re left with nothing but an empty desert. 
When you’re standing on your own two feet, the world can seem like a pretty sturdy place. Grass and dirt may feel just a little bit springy, at least compared to packed earth or pavement, but overall you can trust that it won’t slip out from under you or randomly list to the side. 
The earth surrounding your home seems like a pretty solid thing; after all you walk on it, and everyone builds on top of it, so it’s hard to think of it as especially delicate. In the short term, that’s true, but for longer periods of time, especially years and decades, soil is a pliable, changeable thing that can have an effect on everything around it, including the buildings constructed on top and in it. But how and why does this happen? 
Generally speaking, we like to think of the ground as something solid and stable, at least so long as an earthquake isn’t shaking things to pieces or a volcano isn’t firing tons of ash and rock into the air. However, the dirt beneath our feet is constantly moving around thanks to wind, water, and daily changes in temperature.