🌦 How Climate and Seasonal Changes Affect Foundation Performance
1. Moisture Fluctuations in Soil
- In expansive clay soils, heavy rains cause swelling, while drought causes shrinking.
- This constant expansion and contraction pushes and pulls against the foundation, leading to cracks, uneven settlement, and misaligned doors/windows.
2. Extreme Heat and Drought
- Prolonged dry spells cause the soil to shrink and pull away from the foundation.
- Creates gaps and voids under slabs, increasing the risk of differential settlement.
- Tree roots during droughts may extend toward foundations in search of moisture, compounding the problem.
3. Heavy Rain and Flooding
- Saturated soil loses strength and can’t support the same weight, causing sinking or tilting.
- Poor drainage makes this worse by keeping soil around the foundation constantly wet.
4. Cold Weather & Freezing (less common in Houston, but relevant elsewhere)
- In colder climates, freeze-thaw cycles expand and contract water in the soil.
- This causes “frost heave,” where slabs are lifted and then drop unevenly.
5. Seasonal Cycles Over Time
- The repeated stress year after year weakens structural integrity.
- What begins as small hairline cracks can evolve into major settlement issues if ignored.
🛠 How to Mitigate the Impact
- Install root barriers to block thirsty tree roots.
- Ensure proper drainage systems (gutters, French drains, grading).
- Use soaker hoses in dry seasons to keep soil moisture consistent.
- For severe movement, steel or helical piers stabilize the home by bypassing the active soil layer.
✅ In summary: Climate and seasonal changes—especially Houston’s cycles of drought and heavy rain—directly impact foundation performance by causing the soil to shrink, swell, and shift. Over time, this is the leading cause of foundation settlement and structural damage.