soil shrinkage can cause foundation issues in Kansas City
August 4, 2021

The hottest, driest, pretty much worst part of summer has officially arrived. The heat settling in and ticking away at triple digits here in Kansas City means a lot of things for your home.

It’s easy to be the most concerned about your lawn, but the truth is, brown grass isn’t as big of a deal as what is happening just below the surface.

When the weather gets hot and dry like this, the moisture begins to evaporate, not just out of the ground, but also out of substances like concrete and wood.

How Does It Affect My Home?

The heat and lack of moisture in the ground cause soil to shrink. Sometimes you can see it along the border of your home. The dirt will dry, harden, and separate from the foundation of your house. On the surface, this may seem normal and be more of an eyesore than a legitimate issue.

However, under your feet, the constant heat is pulling moisture from deeper and deeper down. The drier the soil, the more it shrinks. That means the soil that was once supporting the foundation of your home is no longer doing so.

soil shrinkage can cause foundation issues in Kansas City

Foundation Damage from Heat

The worst part of soil shrinkage and the steady decline of moisture is that it doesn’t happen evenly. There are several factors, such as the amount of sun and the grading of the home’s lot, that impact how quickly moisture is evaporated from the ground.

Very rarely is a lot graded to drain toward a home – that’s how basements flood. The yard is sloped to drain moisture away from the home for most people. Which causes the soil closest to your home to dry first and lower portions of the yard where the water drains to dry last.

When the soil around and under the foundation is dry, your home is no longer supported. It then starts to sink in search of support. Because the ground doesn’t dry evenly, that linkage doesn’t happen evenly. Corners and sides of your home will sink faster than others leaving your home uneven and potentially facing severe foundation issues.

How to Protect Your Foundation

Consider keeping your lawn well-watered. That can be hard this time of year, especially with temperatures working against you. It can also be a bit of a chore without a sprinkler system, but preventing the soil surrounding your home from growing too dry is a great first step.

Even with this precautionary measure, it is extremely important to keep an eye on your home’s foundation. As we discussed, the ground does not dry evenly. Unfortunately, even the precautionary work of watering the soil may not keep parts of your soil from drying out too much over time.

Regularly look at the cement at the base of your home. Look for cracks in the cement, unusual lifts in your grass, and any issues with your patios or driveway. These can all indicate a bigger problem under the surface.

Here at KC Waterproofing and Foundation Repair, we’re used to the heat and the types of homes built in this area. That makes us uniquely equipped to help you solve your toughest challenges with your foundation.

It may feel overwhelming, but our team can help. If you have any concerns, schedule a consultation with a member of our team.

And in the meantime, do your best to stay cool!

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Satisfied Customer Reviews

Great service, everyone is friendly and courteous. They do whatever they can to help you. Great company I would recommend to anyone.
Great team, worked very hard and stayed after hours to install a basement window as they knew a huge storm was on the way. Our basement was super dry following a lot of rain after install/fixing of foundation proving the job was done well! I recommend this company for foundation repair and water proofing to cinder block foundation in old home.
Mario came out to seal a crack on my stairs and fill a settlement crack in the basement. He was very professional and friendly. He did an amazing job and I was very impressed.
Didn't waste any time. I have a big problem and he told me from the beginning that they couldn't handle it. He helped give me some advice and direction... and did not try to sell me on something he knew they couldn't deliver. I appreciated his upfront honesty and advice.
They are a fantastic company and really went above and beyond to make sure we got the information we needed.
Mario was great! He very informative and helpful! I would highly recommend him!
Mario came out to check the sump pump. After cleaning the pit out and checking both the main and backup pump he wiped everything done and left the area cleaner than when he got there. Very friendly and knowledgeable guy!
Don Derry with KC Waterproofing has been our "go-to" foundation repair specialist since 2005! We have had him to our homes multiple times. The project always wraps up with us having peace of mind. This past time with 14 piers installed, was no exception. His crew was polite and respectful. They cleaned up our property perfectly at the conclusion of the project. I highly recommend this foundation repair company.
Tech was on time completed the repair as necessary, and the experience was great.
We recently had KC Waterproofing out at our home in North Kansas City, and I cannot say enough great things about Ryan Marshall and his team (Austin & Jacob). They worked at our property over the week of July 17/2025 - and absolutely blew us away with their professionalism, work ethic, and transparency.

Ryan took the time to thoroughly explain the problems we were facing, what caused them, and exactly how they were going to fix them. His honesty and willingness to go the extra mile truly set him apart.

Ryan and his assistant worked hard, were respectful of our home, and made sure everything was done right the first time. It's rare these days to find that level of care and craftsmanship. Because of professionals like Ryan, we’ll continue to turn to KC Waterproofing for future needs.

Highly recommend this company—especially if you get the chance to work with Ryan and his crew! When it comes to foundation issues we will always recommend KC Waterproofing. They have been in the business, are trusted, and will do the job correctly.