The cheapest, simplest one, according to an owner of several homes: buy a soaker hose and use it regularly

The cheapest, simplest one, according to an owner of several homes: buy a soaker hose and use it regularly

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

The cheapest, simplest one, according to an owner of several homes: buy a soaker hose and use it regularly

Extreme heat and rain could be causing damage to your house.

But there are things homeowners can do to fix it.

You can compare the foundation of a house to a plant. When the soil dries from not being watered, the plant cracks and withers. The same thing can happen to a home if the soil isn’t getting the water it needs.

|MORE| Oklahomans impacted by ongoing flash drought, extreme heat

“So what’s happened to this home is it just got too dry around the perimeter and so this part of the brick wall has moved out. It’s actually rotated outward because the home didn’t get watered,” said Wally Kerr, who owns multiple homes.

A report from the federal government finds shrinking and swelling due to drought conditions can increase the risk of damage to buildings. We’re seeing this at play in Oklahoma after our recent dry spell.

“If you look down at the bottom of this home, we’ve caught this early enough to where there’s a crack that’s opening up down along what we call the stem wall,” he said.

With little rain and hot summer days, “it got too dry around the home,” Kerr said.

|MORE| Oklahoma researches how to better predict flash droughts

The issues get worse, but a simple solution could be had for around $20.

“The easiest way to do, it is to just take a soaker hose and lay it, not up in that crack, we don't want water in the home, we're gonna lay this soaker hose about 12 to18 inches away from the foundation of the home,” he said.

Slowly running soaker hoses near homes for a few hours can moisten soil and prevent problems.

|MORE| Oklahoma heating, air company focuses on customers during sweltering heat

“Homeowners have control over what happens with their foundation. They can't change the weather but what they can do is control and make sure that their home doesn't have foundation issues, and this is a good way to prevent it,” he said.

It’s good to soak the soil over time and not just pour water on the ground.

Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.