TRI-STATE (WFIE) -
Our severe drought is hurting more than crops and lawns. In some cases, it's damaging homes and leaving residents with a large repair bill.
When we think of damage to foundations, we generally think of rain, but experts say just as much damage can happen during extreme droughts.
Thursday night, one Boonville homeowner is facing more than $20,000 in repairs.
Jimmy Schaeffer of Healthy Spaces showed us some of the damage this year's severe drought can cause.
"I mean you may have a little bit of damage. You may see some small cracks but then when the drought hits, it'll expand those and make this a lot more visible and a lot more of an issue," Schaeffer says.
When it gets this dry, experts say that the soil around your home settles and the walls of your home can actually sink, and that's causing some major problems.
"When your brick veneer is actually on your house, it's sitting on your footer. When that edge of the footer drops off, it's got to give somewhere," Schaeffer told 14 News.
Schaeffer says the work takes time and money.
In some cases, crews dig 30 to 40 feet in the ground to secure anchors, then lift the house back to it's original position.
"Not sure how the insurance works out, but a lot of this stuff, from my understanding, is that unless this falls it doesn't get cover. So a lot of this does fall back on the homeowner," Schaeffer noted.
But for the future stability of your home, it's work that has to be done.
"It's an expense you don't want but you don't really have any choice. You've got everything else tied into your house from there."
Schaeffer says look for cracks around your home to see if they are getting bigger.
Experts say the earlier you catch a settling foundation, the easier it will be to get it fixed.
Copyright 2012 WFIE. All rights reserved.
