What Is the Clay Bowl Effect and What Does It Mean for My Foundation?

Your foundation is more than just the rock on which your home rests. It prevents your home from sinking into the ground and keeps your other structural supports in their proper places. If your foundation begins to show signs of damage, you’re going to have to contend not only with your home’s destabilization but also with the side effects that come with it.  

Your foundation can be more sensitive to changes in the soil around your home than you might expect. While this isn’t always a bad thing, you may see that sensitivity resulting in unexpected structural damage. 

Understanding the Clay Bowl Effect 

The Clay Bowl Effect refers to the way soil settles under and around your foundation post-construction. Contractors will excavate a hole in the earth that is slightly larger than the borders of your home. In this space, the foundation is laid. 

Contractors can then use backfilled soil to pack the space between the foundation walls and the surrounding hard-packed soil. This creates a bowl of dense soil and clay around your foundation that acts as an artificial water table. Water is then collected by the looser soil inside the bowl and around your foundation. 

The Clay Bowl Effect and Your Home 

The Clay Bowl Effect on its own can destabilize your foundation after it’s been set into place. The gaps that appear within the soil beneath your space will make it easier for your slab or for other structural supports to start to sink. In turn, the walls of your foundation, basement, or crawl space can start to fall out of place. 

The faster your foundation starts to sink, the more likely it is that you’ll see leaks or other types of damage appear throughout your home. Unfortunately, leaks tend to beget additional leaks. If you find yourself contending with hydrostatic pressure in your home, you’ll want to act quickly both to eliminate that source of damage and to bring your foundation back into its original position. There’s little point in trying to waterproof your home before fixing a damaged foundation. If you do, you risk damaging your waterproofing solutions before they can do any good for your home.