The triple digit summer heat wave is wreaking havoc on some homes. As a result, Arlington has urged its residents to check for dry soil around the foundations of their property.
When soil begins to pull away from a building, it could be an indication the soil is too dry and that the foundation might be in danger of getting damaged. Maintaining consistent soil moisture around foundations can prevent long-term and expensive damage to homes and property.
The city offered the following recommendations to help.
- Placing a soaker hose 10 to 12 inches away from the foundation is the best tool to remedy dry soil. Burying the hose a couple of inches is a plus, but not critical. It is extremely important to avoid placing the hose directly against the foundation because the water runs down to the bottom of the foundation beam, and doing so could create more problems.
- To use a soaker hose effectively, turn it on full power and then slowly turn the water pressure down so that you do not see any streams of water coming out of the soaker hose. You want to see the water being released onto the ground. It is important to maintain constant soil moisture around the building year round and the time required to water the foundation varies on each site because of sun exposure, vegetation, drainage, etc. A good timer and Y-connectors for your hose bib and soaker hoses are additional tools you can use to effectively water the entire foundation for a set time.
Residents and business owners were reminded that City ordinance prohibits outdoor watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. year-round. Additional water restrictions will also take effect as early as September when Tarrant Regional Water District, Arlington's raw water supplier, mandates Stage 1 restrictions of the Drought Contingency and Water Management Plan.
Stage 1 means residents and businesses will only be allowed to water outdoors twice a week on designated days.
