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It's no secret that expert landscaping adds to the enjoyment of our homes by providing a beautiful and welcoming exterior. A beautifully landscaped property can also add to the value of a home. The family time spent on planning and implementing your landscaping project can provide lasting memories that you will appreciate each time you see it. Additionally, professional landscaping that is well planned and maintained can also be your first and best defense against water intrusion and mold damage within your home. Soil type and grade around the foundation are important factors for quality landscaping. The soil type should be suitable for the vegetation while at the same time provide appropriate and lasting drainage with minimal maintenance. A combination of soil types and aggregate is often used and is determined by the unique circumstances of the area. Expert landscaping will take these factors into consideration in order to achieve positive drainage away from the building wall. In poorly landscaped areas, and those that haven't been maintained, depressions around the foundation can form, resulting in water drainage and accumulation at the building wall. The water accumulation leads to increased hydrostatic pressure and moisture begins to seep into the foundation wall. In unfinished areas of the basement you may discover efflorescence, as an early indicator. However, when it occurs behind a finished wall, it may go undetected for years. In many cases, the added humidity in the basement, combined with typically colder temperatures in the basement, will lead to mold growth on the exterior side of the wall and seemingly random mold growth on contents. Professional landscaping is an important first step to take prior to installing a deck. The soil underlying the deck becomes shaded and the drying rate is decreased, which can be detrimental to your basement, especially if the drainage was already struggling. Having an expert landscaping and drainage management plan implemented prior to constructing a new deck can vastly reduce the chances of a new deck causing a mold problem in your home. The placement and condition of trees and shrubs around the home should be assessed from an aesthetic and practical point of view. Large trees will drop leaves, which quickly obstruct the gutters and cause overruns that result in water accumulation around the foundation. Large branches overhanging the home can be a danger to the roof. The adverse impact of trees and shrubs can be just as aggressive below ground. Roots may damage the foundation walls and floors or obstruct the foundation drainage system. In many cases a musty odor in the basement occurring with no sign of water damage or mold growth is a strong indicator of foundation and landscaping troubles. Careful and considerate attention to these details by professional landscaping can help you to avoid mold growth in your home.
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