Soaker Hose for Foundation Watering
Soaker Hose for Foundation Watering
How to Use a Soaker Hose to Water Your Foundation:
When utilizing a soaker hose, make sure that you do not place it directly next to your foundation because that would cause the soil under your structure to become too wet. Large amounts of water beneath your foundation can cause the ground to swell, and too much water is just as harmful as too much.
For this reason, the soaker hose should be positioned 20-24” away from your structure. The idea is to keep the ground moist, but not soaking wet or muddy. If the ground is getting muddy, turn the soaker hose down. For maximum benefit, it’s important that the soil slowly absorb the moisture.
If you notice that the ground around your structure is pulling away, use the hose on soak the area around your foundation on a more frequent basis or run it for a longer period of time. And, if the soil is getting too wet, perhaps you need to cut back on your watering program.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you should not connect a bunch of soaker hoses together. If you do, the water pressure will decrease and your foundation will not be watered evenly. As a general rule of thumb, 50’ of soaker hose is all that should be run off a single water source. Of course, if you have no other water source, simply hook a few soaker hoses together.
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Soaker Hose Installation for Foundation Watering
Soaker hose is the easiest, most effective solution for managing ground contraction. This hose has numerous small pores that release water next to the soil. This minimizes evaporation while providing better coverage than a sprinkler. However, it only releases water directly over the ground where it’s placed. If you also need to water your lawn, you can use a combination of soaker hose and sprinklers for full coverage.
The best position for this hose is 20 to 24 inches away from the side of your building. You should never try to water a foundation directly. If cracks have already formed, the water will flow through them, collecting under the grade beam.
This is the thickest part of the foundation, providing most of the load support. Once the soil underneath is saturated, it loses some of its load-bearing capacity. This can cause your foundation to shift more, making the problem worse. Moving the hose further away guarantees the water will percolate through the surrounding soil, spreading out expansion.
If there is a tree nearby, it will grow roots to reach the water, which in turn places those roots dangerously close to your foundation. You can keep the water from your hose from reaching the roots by installing a barrier. This is simply a trench filled with something solid, like plastic sheeting, to halt the growth of roots in that direction.
If you want to add a tree to your property, talk to a horticulturist or an arborist first. This professional can tell you if you will have root problems and provide advice on planting distances to prevent foundation damage.
If you need your soaker hose foundation watering system to reach a building that doesn’t have a nearby spigot, use UV-resistant hoses like our MAXLite® or CoolTOUCH® hoses to connect the spigot to the soaker hose.
Our SoakerPRO® hose comes as a complete assembly in several different lengths. This lets you hook it up like a regular garden hose. If you want to create a soil watering system that perfectly fits your building, you can make one using our . Just make sure the holes in the hose are facing the ground during installation.
Limiting the length of hose connected to each spigot increases water pressure, so it takes less time to water your soil. If you have spigots on the front and back of your house, divide your installation between these two water sources.
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Why Should You Soak Your Foundation With Water?
If you own a home in the Dallas, Fort Worth area you should be taking proper care of your foundation all year round. That especially includes the hot summer months from June to August where the heat zaps the moisture out of every living thing.
Some years are hotter than others, reaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit at times in July and August, but either way, North Texas can be extremely hot which doesn’t bode well for your unprotected foundation.
But, wait! You can protect your foundation by simply using a soaker hose on a daily basis. Simple foundation maintenance can help prevent future foundation problems, and our tip for you this summer is to keep your home’s foundation moist.
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How Often Should You Use a Soaker Hose
Typically, you want to ensure that you are providing your foundation and lawn with about one to two inches of water each week. In the Houston area during the summer we suggest that you ensure you are providing between two and three inches each week. Note that this also includes rain water. You can easily measure this with a simple water meter placed outside of a window.