Do I Need a Retaining Wall?

August 17, 2015

Do I Need a Retaining Wall?

Any area with slope problems and insufficient erosion control is often a good candidate for retaining wall construction.

The likelihood of soil and other debris slipping downhill will help to determine the necessity of a retaining wall versus an actual wall to prevent damage to the home. In some cases, homeowners may just need a retaining wall for aesthetic uses like a garden wall. Allen Outdoor Solutions can help you build a retaining wall and stop any potential problem that might occur.

Why Build a Retaining Wall?

Here are a few basic structural reasons to build a retaining wall on a piece of property:

Potential slipping hillsides – Avoid a dangerous or ecologically unsound situation. Damage from a mudslide can ruin a home’s foundation and make it uninhabitable.

Fault lines – Keep the ground in place around the house should an earthquake occur.

Erosion – Help to keep the soil in place and maintain the integrity of the slope.

You need a retaining wall if:

1. You need a way to control downhill erosion. If mountains of erosion materials are clogging important areas on your property, adding a retaining wall is a wonderful idea. Retaining walls minimize erosion by decreasing the angle of a slope and holding back soil.

2. Your home is downhill from soil fault lines. As any landscaping contractor will tell you, even if erosion isn’t threatening your home now, it could under the right conditions. In an earthquake, land typically slides away from fault lines. If your home is located downhill from a fault line, a retaining wall can provide stability and peace of mind.

3. Your foundation is threatened by a sliding hill. Erosion can threaten your home’s foundation. If the soil around a downhill foundation is washing away, or erosion from a slope is compacting an uphill foundation, a retaining wall can help. In such cases, building retaining walls is one of the most important services landscaping and contracting companies perform.