Summer Landscaping Changes to Protect Your Evansville, IN Basement

It's a beautiful time of year, we are pretty much smack into summer here in Evansville.  Everything is lush, blooming, and verdant.  Most of us are inspired to add new plants, or revise our landscaping in some way.  As you add to your landscaping, here are three things to keep a watchful eye out for:

1. Move existing vegetation

Sometimes, you can end up with some pretty large bushes, but they started out much smaller.  Knowing how big a plant really gets is hard to predict and we've all had a time where we end up planting something too close to a foundation wall.  As you look at your landscaping plan this year, make your first priority moving vegetation at least 6 feet from your foundation walls.  Shifting vegetation will protect your basement from flooding as you water your bushes and flowers.

2. Trees--evaluate and trim

Trees are my favorite landscaping item!  I love shady green canopies and the sound of the wind through the leaves.  Evansville has a great mixture of mature shade trees and newer plantings.  I purposely choose a home with mature trees in the yard, but I didn't realize the havoc that a tree can inflict on a foundation.  We had a huge willow tree in our front yard and the roots spread out straight into our foundation.  I realized about four years after we moved in that we had a huge problem and the tree would have to go.  It's a good idea to keep checking your foundation and trees for any unfortunate root-related problems.

3. Look at your yard's slope

As you look to redesign and update your landscaping, it's a good idea to make sure that you're directing water away from your basement.  By sloping your yard away from your house, rainwater will be less likely to soak your basement. 

Do you think your landscaping might be ruining your basement foundation?  Call us today for a free evaluation.