How Can You Make Foundation Repair Sustainable featured image

The concept and practice of sustainability have grown exponentially in recent years. Apart from caring for the environment, it focuses on socially and ethically responsible natural resources. Simply put, the basis of sustainability involves reducing consumption, reusing resources, and recycling waste.

Through consistent and concentrated efforts, the global goal is to preserve and protect the environment for the welfare of the next generations. Sustainability has expanded across industries and has become instrumental in the latest market trends due to its influence on modern consumer behavior.

For instance, many homeowners have started to recognize the benefits of green living and how they could put sustainability into practice in their own homes. Apart from being watchful of how they consume energy and resources, people have also started to consider how to transform their homes more beneficial to the environment.

Because of the desire to improve their household sustainability, some homeowners wanted to practice it when repairing parts of their homes. This method is effective for houses with old or outdated components. This way, they’ll be able to lessen the impact of each repair on the environment while enjoying the practical benefits of using sustainable materials.

Sustainability In-Home Foundation Repair

Sustainable homes use materials produced in an environment-friendly way. Most materials are non-toxic, highly durable, and locally sourced to minimize transportation, negatively impacting the environment. Apart from these, the construction is done with energy efficiency in mind to reduce energy consumption in the home.

How Can You Make Foundation Repair Sustainable

Using sustainable materials can help prolong and strengthen the integrity of a home’s foundation structure. This is why it’s ideal to use green materials in home construction. In particular, it will be beneficial for repairing a home’s foundation. This way, it will be less likely to get damaged, reducing the need to use materials for repairs.

If you’re wondering if you can repair your home’s foundation in a way that’s helpful to the environment and the health of your family as well, here are some points you can consider:

#1. Use Sustainable Materials

Sustainable building materials make repairing a home’s foundation easier because they allow more convenient installation and maintenance. In the past, construction companies relied heavily on cement and concrete. However, these are non-sustainable options as producing these materials is one of the most significant contributors to carbon dioxide emissions.

Nowadays, many advanced building materials are eco-friendly and durable, ideal for building a sturdier home foundation. Some examples of these would be green concrete, fibrous concrete, concrete combined with fly ash, among others. These new construction materials use waste products combined with concrete to produce an eco-friendlier alternative. This way, the waste products, and debris are put to good use instead of added to other garbage disposed of in landfills.

On top of this, the eco-waste materials used as additives to the concrete can enhance its durability, water resistance, and structural strength. This is why using sustainable materials for foundation repair could be highly beneficial to homeowners.

Read more: What To Know About Foundation Warranties.

#2. Avoid Using Hazardous Materials

Many products used in constructing a home’s foundation use harmful chemicals which can contaminate the air and water sources underground as they’re highly likely to be absorbed into the soil. One example of these chemicals is the form-release agent used in building concrete. To prevent concrete forms from sticking to wet mixture, some builders use diesel oil or used engine oils to cover their surfaces for easier removal.

These oils, however, may be hazardous both to human and environmental health as they contain chemicals. The green alternative is to use release agents based on organic materials such as soybean oil or canola oil.

Damp-proofing materials, on the other hand, also commonly use complex chemicals. However, chemical-free alternatives are already available in the market, which provides the same effects with reduced costs.

#3. Maximize Use Of Concrete Forms

How Can You Make Foundation Repair Sustainable 1

Builders commonly use form boards made with plywood or lumber in the construction process. After the build, however, some of these concrete forms are thrown away. To avoid wasting wood resources, you can consider reusing the form boards on other projects or using metal forms instead to reduce construction waste.

#4. Fix The Crawl Space Vents And Add Insulation

If you have a crawl space in your home foundation, you can consider closing the vents during winter to improve energy efficiency. This is because the heat inside the home can pass through the vents, making it challenging to keep the interior warm. Aside from this, blocking off the cold temperatures can prevent water pipes from freezing. To further improve temperature regulation, you can also consider adding a layer of insulation in your crawlspace to help trap the heat inside the home to keep it warm.

Experts advise homeowners to keep the air vents open in the crawlspace in the summer to prevent wood rot and mold growth in the foundation. This can also be helpful in energy efficiency as the air circulation releases the heat trapped inside the crawlspace.

#5. Improve Drainage System

Flooding is one of the leading causes of foundation damage. If your area is prone to flooding, it can ultimately weaken the foundation as the water seeps in the materials, which could cause damage and cracks in the infrastructure. This is why improving your drainage system can help maintain the integrity of your home foundation in the long run.

Drainage system

To improve drainage, you can use sustainable building foundation materials which allow water to pass through the structure without damaging it. For instance, some contractors use concrete mixed with grass. The grass blades create a porous surface on the foundation structure, making it possible for the water to pass through without damaging the structural materials.

On the other hand, some homeowners also recycle old concrete by turning them into blocks to build retaining walls to improve their drainage system. This is a great way to reduce the consumption of resources while protecting the home’s foundation.

Conclusion

Due to technological progress, the environment and natural resources have greatly suffered to the extent that endangers the future of the next generations. This is why the collective and conscious effort to become more sustainable is an excellent step towards change. As a homeowner, it may be a simple but highly effective way to involve your household and boost your family’s awareness of the importance of sustainability. After all, incorporating its values into your daily life is a simple yet impactful way to take part in protecting the environment.

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