Don't Let the Big Bad Wolf Blow Your House Down

Concrete has been around for eons. The Ancient Romans were the first to use concrete to erect statues and build structures such as the Coliseum and the Pantheon. These structures, for better or for worse, still stand today. The concrete used by the Ancient Romans was so strong, even the Big Bad Wolf couldn't huff or puff or blow it all down.

Most architectural structures are built using concrete technology. We build our homes with concrete foundations and cinderblock, despite that the earth is unstable. Ground shifts underneath causing homes to settle and cracks to form.  We want our homes to be solid and stable, but when nature decides to shift, she can take our homes with it.

The foundations in our homes need to be more than just a cement slab in order to do its job. A strong, well-built foundation should not only hold the house up, but it should also be well-insulated, and most importantly, it must protect against moisture. Determine the soil make-up of the ground where you build your foundation. How dense is it it? What is it composed of? The less porous, the more damage it can cause. Soil that holds onto moisture expands when it freezes, and moisture is the biggest culprit to breaking down the foundation.

Without a strong foundation, your home is in serious jeopardy. Imagine the story of the three little pigs. One house was built with straw. The Big Bad Wolf came, and he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew that house down. The second house was built with wood, and although this house was made with material stronger than straw, the Big Bad Wolf was still able to huff and puff and blow the house down.  The third house, built with bricks was built on a strong, solid, well-insulated foundation, keeping out the Big Bad Wolf.

Water is the Big Bad Wolf. Water is your foundation’s worst enemy. Keep your foundation strong and your home safe by keeping out the Big Bad Wolf.