Product Care

EXTERIOR & STRUCTURAL ITEMS

Landscaping and Grade
There is a risk of future damage to your home if you plant near foundation areas and/or if you allow wetting of foundation soils to occur. You should refer to your soils report and follow the specific instructions for your individual home. However typically the following can be used as guidelines (please review your soils & engineering documents for your specific information):

• Have all of your down spouts and sill cocks discharge into splash blocks or long downspout extensions.

• Maintain the slope away from your house. Refill areas that may settle around foundation and slab areas.

• From the foundation out five feet (or as stated in your current soils report) around the perimeter of your home you should install decorative materials such as gravel or bark directly on the soils or on a non woven, geotextile fabric which allows for natural evaporation to occur and still inhibits weed growth. Do not use polyethylene. The edges of these decorative areas should allow for surface drainage to be quickly discharged away from the foundation or slabs. Refer to your soils reports for details.

• Keep drainage swales clear of leaves and debris so they function. You do not want any puddling of water within 10' of foundation areas.

• Spray from sprinkler systems should not fall within five feet of the foundation. Zone control boxes and drains should be no closer than 10 feet to a foundation. Automatic shutoff valves are strongly recommended to help prevent leakage

• Shrubbery should not be planted within 5' of the foundation. Trees should be planted at least 15' away from any foundation area and water-loving trees such as cottonwoods and willows should be at least 20' away.

Septic Systems
For many years now we have only used engineered septic systems as we feel that these systems have always provided the best value to our clients. Again you should refer to your soils report and follow the specific instructions for your individual Septic System. However, typically the following can be used as guidelines:

• Non-biodegradable materials must not be allowed to enter the system.

• Surface of the system should be landscaped with native grasses that require very little irrigation.

• Sprinkler systems should not be placed in the field area.

• Septic tanks should be pumped every two years.

• Chemically treated water such as from pools, spas etc should not be discharged into the sewage disposal system.

• No traffic should be allowed to cross the area.

• Surface runoff should not be allowed to pond on or near the system.

• Horse or other animal grazing should not be allowed in this area because collapse of the system can occur.

• Every six months the open valve should be closed and the next valve in sequence should be opened. The best time to do this is when you adjust your clocks for daylight savings.

Gutters & downspouts

• Always have all of your down spouts discharge into downspout extensions.

• You should not discharge into piping as they can become clogged and backup into the foundation soils.

• Clean leaves and debris from your gutters on a regular basis.

Floating walls

• Your soils report will also contain information on your "floating walls" in your lower levels (if applicable).

• You should inspect these areas from time to time to ensure that movement has not occurred.

• If movement has occurred and the gap is less that the amount specified in your soils report then these areas should be adjusted.

• If you think movement has occurred you should also check the posts, plumbing and heating expansion areas.

It is critical that if anyone adds any walls in areas that require floating walls that they follow the recommendations in your soils report.