Why water your Kansas yard in August?

[mckitterick]

I don't water my yard during droughts because, well, why? But today I learned why you should from the Jim Clark Motors courtesy-van driver. I dropped off my Crossfire this morning for a variety of warranty repairs. On the way home, we naturally discussed the weather. I mentioned how the ground around the foundation of my house has at places pulled away an inch or more, and the post-retiree driver said he has cracks in his yard that are eight feet deep.

I wondered aloud whether the soil's retreat might be affecting the crack in my foundation (it's a slab foundation) that appears to be growing (the tile grout is opening up above the crack).

The other passenger in the van said, "Oh yes. The same thing happened to my house until I started soaking the ground around the foundation."

"Whatever you do, don't fill the gaps near your foundation," said the yard sage, our driver; "that'll only cause you more problems when the rains come. The clay can't take up much water when it's this dry, so the water will just sit there. There's nowhere for it to go when we get rain, so it'll just move your foundation more."

Huh, I thought. "Why doesn't anyone tell new homeowners these things?" I asked.

"You're not from Kansas, are you?" asked the driver.

"Nope. Minnesota."

To which he told stories about the natural fortitude of Kansans.

Anyhow, I sense a really useful book for new homeowners. It would include tips such as this:

Water your yard around the foundation during droughts. This helps prevent your house from settling and your foundation from cracking.

EDIT: Needless to say (yet I'm going to say it anyway; I mean, isn't that what always comes after "needless to say"?), I've been soaking the soil around my foundation since I wrote this, and will continue doing so until I've done so all the way around the perimeter. I'm almost half-way done now.

Best,
Chris

Comments

[chernobylred.livejournal.com]

I thought for sure 0verdrive had mentioned this to you, years ago. Sorry I didn't remind you.

[roya-spirit.livejournal.com]

yah, J has some foundation stuff in the basement that I think is a result of some early neglect on the current house, and a weird concrete thing that ws built out front. Thanks for the reminder, we havent' soaked much this summer. I think I'll just drain the pool around the house edges!

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I think I'll just drain the pool around the house edges!

- Wow, would that be okay? Do you use chlorine? If so, wouldn't it burn the hell out of the grass and stuff?

[roya-spirit.livejournal.com]

After a day, chlorine evaporates out of water, that's why you have to keep adding it to pools daily.
I use ph test strips and believe me, the changes from day to day are interesting.