Water injection refers to a technique that helps to stabilize the foundation. Immediately after a good soaking rain the ground is saturated. That is why it is called a soaking rain. The water has reached down into the dirt for several feet, nourishing trees and plants. It also "nourishes" your foundation.
Dirt dries in the opposite way it gets wet. When it rains the top gets wet first and then it soak through deeper into the ground. When the water starts to dry the top of the ground dries and then the layers underneath will eventually as well. When it stops raining for a long period of time, the dry dirt reaches very far into the ground.
If you have ever gotten your foot stuck in mud you know how it acts like a suction cup. Yet, if you get your foot stuck in the same amount of dirt the suction is not there. The loose dirt allows you to wiggle free with much greater ease. This is the same principle that applies to water injection for a steady foundation.
Piping is often used for water injection. It can be laid directly into or through the foundation in order to reach outside the walls. Often the pipes will come out just underground. This allows you to turn a knob and throw a measured amount of water through the foundation into the dirt that surrounds it. This uses much less water than other methods of watering the foundation but it helps to keep the dirt that surrounds your home well packed.
By doing this, you reduce the chances that the dirt will allow the foundation to move. No matter what the concrete will stretch, move subtly, and settle. However avoiding big movements that cause cracking is vital to maintaining the integrity of your home. Your regional environment will play a role in how often you have to add water for the ultimate resistance to movement. Usually, warm and dry climates require a weekly watering at the very least. Temperate climates can usually go seven to ten days, and subtropical climates may only need a little water once a month or so.
Water injection is about keeping the moisture levels as even as possible. When dirt gets wet, dries out, and gets wet again it allows for more movement then before. You can get a moisture meter and help your foundation stay in place by adding only what is needed for maintaining a specific level of moisture appropriate for your region.
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