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Home Inspection Maintenance Tips - High Soil Levels

One of the most common defects we find when performing home inspections is called "high soil" conditions. It is also one of the easiest to correct for many homes.

High soil levels are cited as a defect in home inspections when soil, fill material or mulch covers the top 4-6 inches of the foundation perimeter beam. This condition prevents the inspector from observing the foundation in these areas, creates conducive conditions for insects, covers weep holes and may also allow moisture to penetrate the structure between the foundation and first (bottom) row of bricks or siding.

In many cases, the soil, fill material or mulch could simply be raked away from the foundation perimeter beam to expose the top 4-6 inches of the foundation. Not only would this create a better home inspection report, but it is an easy way to eliminate the issues mentioned above.

In extreme cases of high soil, it may be best to hire a landscape specialist. A landscape specialist has the tools and man-power to correct most high soil conditions easily and at very low cost.

Correcting high soil conditions around any home is smart and show that you care about correct home maintenance. If you want to get a cleaner home inspection report, this is one item the homeowner can do to accomplish this goal.