Lawn & Landscape Home Protection Guide
May’s landscape maintenance significantly impacts home protection. Proper irrigation, grading, and foundation plantings prevent water damage while poor landscape management creates expensive moisture problems.
Irrigation System Startup
Open water supply slowly preventing water hammer. Test each zone individually checking for broken heads, leaks, and overspray onto structures. Adjust heads for proper coverage without wasting water on hardscaping. Program controllers for 1-1.5 inches weekly including rainfall. Install rain sensors preventing unnecessary watering.
Foundation Planting Management
Maintain 18-24 inch clearance from foundations preventing moisture trapping and pest access. Prune branches maintaining 6-foot clearance from roofs. Thin dense plantings allowing air circulation. Keep mulch depth under 2-3 inches and away from siding contact. Use rock or gravel within 6 inches of foundations.
Grading Verification
Walk property during rainfall observing water flow. Verify minimum 1 inch per foot slope for first 6 feet from foundations. Fill depressions near basement walls with compacted clean fill. Extend downspouts minimum 6 feet onto properly graded areas. Address negative grading immediately preventing progressive settlement.
Lawn Aeration Benefits
Core aeration relieves compaction improving water infiltration while reducing runoff threatening foundations. Perform when soil is moist but not saturated. Leave extracted cores to decompose naturally. Benefits extend to both lawn health and home protection through improved drainage.
Professional Assessment Value
May landscape inspections using laser levels identify subtle grading problems homeowners miss visually. Professional evaluations assess foundation plantings from home protection perspective, test irrigation systems for efficiency, and identify drainage deficiencies typically finding $800-$3,000 in corrections preventing $8,000-$25,000 in damage.
At Chandler Inspections, we evaluate landscapes for both aesthetic and home protection considerations.
Preparing home buyers to become better home owners š”
