Hello all,

Can someone point me to a basic guide for foundation maintenance and care? I live in the Corpus Christi area. I just got foundation work completed on our home and want to make sure I care for it right from the start. Any watering tips, moisture levels, schedules, etc would be super helpful. I have no idea where to start and am a noob. Thank you so much in advance.

If you keep the lawn watered and healthy during the summers you should be OK.

Water restrictions will have exceptions for foundation watering. Keep it most enough that you don't see the soil pulling away from the slab.

Foundation Repairs usually come with a maintenance guide book so that's your first stop as they gave you a warranty that must not be voided by lack of care.

A slab-on-piers vs slab-on-grade types vary a bit, so let's assume the latter type since the former type is less prone to repairs.

If guttered, then the leaders/downspouts must extend 6-10ft away from foundations, then runoff continues to flow away.
Perimeters slope away at least 6" in 10ft which include top soil and the other layers beneath; certainly anything clay must slope sharply; no ponding.
Typically the West corner dries out the most and thus may heave/shrink as rain comes/goes. If cracks can be traced to this locaiton, then some had success with installing a deep, loamy/mulch garden bed that gets plenty of water (even via a leader/downspout) to stabilize & raise that corner. Some beds have a radius of 6-10ft out from the corner.

Only if a slab-on-grade type may a perimeter soaker system be installed as part of your auto.sprinkler system. Best to include moisture sensors that insure same moisture content all about the periemeters.

Optional no-gutters approach is to instead install bullrock strips in a garden bed to catch roof runoff/erosion that helps consistant moisture peimeters.

How big and close to the house are your trees

In Corpus, there are 2 kinds of houses: Those that have foundation issues, and those that will. Had mine done 3 years ago. String soaker hoses along the edge of the foundation and run them FOR HALF A DAY, OR OVERNIGHT every month or so when it gets dry like now.


*the exception is those near the water with sandy soil, and not the black gumbo.