As we near the end of summer, the cool breeze of fall starts to flow in. With the chill on our faces, one can't help but think of winter. How cold will it get? Will it be filled with snow and slush? Will it be a mild year? It may seem months away, but now is a great time to plan how to protect your home's landscape this winter. There are many ways to prepare, but one overlooked aspect is the power and protection you find with retaining walls.
Erosion Control
The fresh, snowy landscapes that winter can paint are often works of art. But this beauty could end in a disaster. As the snow turns into water, it can form a flow that will erode the soil faster than you think. This runoff can lead to a loss of valuable land and whole gardens. In some areas, it can also damage your home.
The risks don't stop at snow melt. The winter also brings the buildup of ice in the soil. As the water in the ground begins to freeze, it will expand. This movement can make the earth shift and erode. Retaining walls act as barriers, helping to prevent both swift flows of water and the expansion of the soil by ice.
Reducing Flooding
Another risk for areas that face the freeze-thaw cycle is localized flooding. This will mainly happen in low-lying areas or spaces that lack proper drainage and can cause damage to property as well as landscapes. Thankfully, retaining walls can be designed to ease the risk and save your property. Creating channels for water runoff or redirecting water can stop water pooling in vulnerable zones.
Prevent A Landslide
A thick blanket of snow on a hill might seem like a winter wonderland postcard. But when this snow starts to melt, it soaks the soil below. This water filled ground will turn into an unstable mush. In this state, the top layer of soil is now at risk of sliding away. Areas with slopes or elevated terrains are most at risk of a landslide.
Any house that is downhill from a big slope is at high risk. This makes the need for a solid retaining wall an essential line of defense from mother nature. These walls offer steadfast support, holding the soil in place and reducing the risk of landslides.
Structural Support
The very footing of your home can be at risk in the winter months. The constant freeze and thaw cycles can cause the soil to move unpredictably. This type of soil movement can threaten the stability of foundations, driveways, and other structures.
Retaining walls act as a guard against these types of hazards. Creating a solid base for the ground around your home will go a long way in guarding your house from disaster.
Aesthetics & Usability
Outside of their functional uses, retaining walls also offer a visual appeal. Starting in the late summer and early fall gives you plenty of time to take your time and design something that brings your landscaping to life. These walls are Made from natural stone and decorative concrete and can boost a property's aesthetic value.
Retaining walls also allow you to create a beautiful terraced design in your yard. These terraces can host gardens, patios, or even snowmen when the kids have a snow day.
Protection of Plants
Gardens are labors of love, grown with care and patience. With snow and ice, winter can be harsh on these loved spaces. Plant roots can rot or get damaged if they are exposed to too much moisture from melting snow.
Retaining walls work well to protect gardens as well. When you control the water runoff, you can make sure that plant roots aren't submerged in water for long periods. Also, when you stop soil erosion, you provide plants with stable ground throughout the cold months.
Cost Savings
While the immediate cost of installing a retaining wall might seem big, it's best to view it as a long-term investment. Rampant soil erosion, possible landslides, or damage to your buildings due to shifts in the ground around your foundation can all lead to large repair bills. With this type of project, homeowners are preventing future costs.
Late summer is a time of preparing ourselves and our homes for the cold months ahead. Among the various tasks that come to mind, now is the time to consider how stable your property is and what risks may be lurking with the next thaw cycle.
