Why Amarillo Homes (Including YOURS) Need Soil Stabilization
By Stabilizing Your Expansive Soil BEFORE There’s A Problem,
You Save Yourself Potentially Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars.
BY CORY DAVIS, CO-OWNER
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It’s an adage that’s been around forever for a reason: It’s true! Especially so when we’re discussing soil stabilization in the Amarillo area.
I’ll explain.
Here in Texas, we have an abundance of expansive clay soil. Odds are it’s what YOUR home is sitting on right now.
The problem? Expansive clay is one of the worst kinds of soil you can have under your home’s foundation. It retains a lot of moisture, and this moisture retention can lead to foundation-damaging shrink/swell cycles. You know those silly toys kids have that grow 10x their original size when you put them in water? That’s basically how expansive clay soil works. It grows when it retains water and shrinks as it dries out.
Now imagine the havoc this process is wreaking on your foundation. Soil that constantly swells and shrinks not only causes foundation movement but can also put added stress on your foundation’s walls.
And make no mistake: if expansive soil isn’t damaging your foundation now, it probably will in the future. Expansive soil causes more damage to homes than tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods … combined. Not only that, but Texas alone accounts for about 40% of housing starts on expansive soils every year. 1
Since expansive clay soil is as common as cowboy hats and BBQ in the Texas Panhandle, escaping it is out of the question. And it’s not like you can replace the expansive clay soil under your home with something else. That’s why your best option stabilize your soil BEFORE it causes you major problems and seriously expensive repairs.
Soil Stabilization: A Money-Saving Preventative Measure
I’d guess about 70-80% of the soil stabilization projects we do are for homeowners who contacted us AFTER their soil affected their foundation. As a result, we not only had to stabilize the soil but also fix the foundation problem it caused—a double whammy on the customer’s wallet.
The remaining 20-30% of our soil stabilization projects are either for new construction or take-charge homeowners who want to prevent foundation problems before they happen. Since our soil stabilization costs a fraction of major foundation repair in the Amarillo area, this 20-30% of customers are—you guessed it—taking the “ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure” route. They’re investing a little bit of money now to save themselves loads of cash in the future.
Honestly, there is no “right” or “wrong” time to invest in soil stabilization. It’s true that you’ll save money by preemptively investing in it. But it’s never too late to stabilize your soil, just like it’s never too late to go to the dentist, get health insurance, or microchip your dog.
The only thing you can do wrong is pay for a soil stabilization solution that doesn’t work. Not all soil stabilization methods and products are equal. In fact, most of them are a giant waste of your money (see why Some Solutions Fail). You need to be extremely careful and diligent when researching different solutions.
Or you could skip all the tedious research and just call us.
Soil stabilization is one of our key services—and our solution actually works! We have exclusive rights to EcSS 3000, the only soil stabilizer that’s scientifically tested and proven. EcSS 3000 changes the molecules of soil particles to prevent them from retaining moisture. This, in turn, stops your soil from undergoing foundation-damaging shrink/swell cycles.
Our soil stabilization costs a fraction of the average foundation repair in Amarillo. By doing it now, you save yourself a ton of heartache and money later. And if you’re already experiencing a soil-related foundation issue, our soil stabilization helps ensure it won’t happen again.
Get in touch today for more details. It would be our pleasure to inspect your home to see if soil stabilization is right for you.
Thank you!
Sources:
https://www.tellafirma.com/2017/08/11/find-texas-expansive-soils/