First, walk the perimeter of your house – look for any cracks or damage in the cement of your above-ground foundation that wasn’t there before. Clear away any leaves or debris that may have accumulated over the winter so you can get a clear view. If you have window wells, make sure they are clean and in good shape. Take a good look at the grading of the land around your foundation as well. Has it fallen away? Is there any standing water settling against your house? Is the land sloping towards your home instead of away from it? These are signs that you may need to contact us and/or a landscaping contractor to fix the problem.

Once you’ve checked the foundation, have a look at the rest of your house’s exterior. Take a look at door frames and windows to make sure things haven’t shifted and there any spaces in the caulking. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and in good repair and your roof is free from any obvious damage.

Now that you’ve given the outside perimeter the once over, it’s time to move indoors. If you have an unfinished basement it’s obviously much easier to see if something is amiss, as any cracks, leaks or foundation damage will be in plain sight. If your basement is finished, look for any signs of moisture on the walls and floor. This can include physical wetness, bubbling or peeling paint, or any warped door frames or flooring, which are all signs of a possible foundation crack or leak.

If anything looks out wrong with your house, inside or out, give us a call. Our team at textured terrains will make sure that any April showers stay on your gardens and out of your house.

The post Your Spring Foundation Checklist appeared first on Textured Terrain.

Put on the pressure

One of the easiest ways to clean your concrete is with a pressure washer. Before you start, be sure to clear your driveway of any loose debris that could go flying when sprayed, potentially hurting people or damaging your car or your house. It’s best to spray with the slope of your driveway so the water runs away from your house and, if you can, runs to your grass and lawn, and not storm drains.

Soak it up

The majority of stains on a driveway are usually car-related – oil, gas and antifreeze are the usual culprits. There are chemicals and commercial cleaners you can purchase but before you do there are actually possible solutions right in your house. Baking soda, cat litter and corn starch all have absorbent properties that can soak up the stains on your driveway. If the stain is fresh and still wet simply apply the powder and let in sit for an hour of two and sweep up. If the stain is dry you can scrub with water and baking soda and then add more baking soda and let sit. You may need to repeat the process several times. It’s also important to do this on a clear day with no wind so your application doesn’t get washed or blown away.

Another popular way to remove stains is to use powdered dish detergent or baking soda and boiling water. Wet the stained area slightly and apply a liberal amount of detergent or baking soda, then pour a pot of boiling water on the stain and scrub vigorously with a stiff-wired brush and rinse off. Again, you may have to repeat this several times to get desired results.

Your driveway is literally one of the first impressions people have of your home, so it’s important to do everything you can to keep it looking its best. If you have any questions about driveway maintenance please contact us and one of our friendly team members will be happy to answer your question!

The post Keeping Your Driveway Clean appeared first on Textured Terrain.