If your home was built in North Alabama, it's almost certainly sitting on expansive clay. Here's what that means — and what you can do about it.
The shrink-swell cycle
Clay soil expands when it absorbs water and shrinks when it dries out. Over a year of wet winters and dry late summers, the soil under your home moves up and down — sometimes by inches.
Why some homes settle and others don't
Differential moisture is the real enemy. If one side of your home stays wet (a leaking gutter) and the other side dries out (a maple tree pulling water), the foundation tilts.
Managing moisture
Extend downspouts at least six feet from the home. Maintain positive drainage away from the foundation. Don't let landscape beds hold water against the wall.
When to call a foundation pro
If you're seeing cracks that grow seasonally, doors that stick after wet weeks, or visible movement — clay soil is the likely cause and the sooner it's stabilized, the cheaper the repair.
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