The driest stretch of months in over a century isn't just bad for vegetation in North Texas, it's also leading to one of the busiest years for foundation damage to homes.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth on Tuesday confirmed the region has received just over seven inches of rain since March 1, making it the driest "growing season" since 1909.
The heat and dry is keeping foundation repair companies busy.
"Our normal call volume is about 40 per day, we're well over double that now," Heath Jennings said.
Jennings is a project manager for G. L. Hunt, which specializes in foundation and structural repair across Texas. He specializes in soil types and the effect each have on homes and potential damage.
"Some of the worst areas are in North Richland Hills, Wedgwood, south Arlington, south Grand Prairie and Cedar Hill," Jennings said. "The soil there is black clay which is very expansive when it rains, causing homes to heave or raise up. And what goes up must come down, and that's where we see the damage in hot, dry summers."
"We knew when we had the wettest February on record it would be a challenging summer," he said.
On Tuesday, a team for G.L. Hunt began work on a home with extensive settling of its foundation in North Richland Hills.
Crews were working on installing over 40 steel piers to shore up the foundation, likely a repair exceeding $30,000.
"There’s not enough protection you could probably do for a foundation right now," Jennings said.
He said important precautions for homeowners include anything that can limit dramatic fluctuations in soil moisture, like proper gutters around the home, and good drainage during rains. When an extended period of dry weather arrives, drip irrigation allows for the soil around the home retain some moisture which can reduce the chance for soil movement and damage to your home.