OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Despite a good amount of rain in the month of July, the impacts of this year’s drought are still being felt, and it’s not just farmers that are being affected. Homeowners are seeing damage to their foundations.
Sharon Layendecker and her husband have lived in their home for almost a half century, in recent years they’ve seen the telltale signs that their foundation is in bad shape.
“This year it got real severe,” she said. “The door jam here separated from the wall.”
When the DIY route didn’t work, they called in the professionals. David Epp, with Epp Foundation Repair said the Layendeckers aren’t the only ones calling for help and that the drought is to blame.
“Our call volume has approximately doubled from all of the work we’ve seen from drought,” said Epp.
Epp said soil is like a sponge, and when there’s not enough water in it, houses can sink with it.
This recent drought is the worst Epp has seen in 30 years, he said that split-level homes like the Layedeckers are some of the most susceptible to foundation damage.
Other foundation repair companies recommend watering the soil around your foundation during hot and dry weather to keep the soil from shrinking.
The Layedeckers had to put in five steel piers, to fix their foundation damage. Epp estimated repair costs for the work to be around $10,000 to $15,000. The Layendeckers said it was worth it.
“I would say if you’ve got stair steps [cracks in your foundation] you better call somebody,” Layendecker said.
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