After a drier than normal first half of the year, Winnipeg finally saw some rain Monday – but the dry weather may have already left its mark.
Dry grass, heaving pavement, and cracking foundations are just a few of the problems Winnipeggers are dealing with due to the dry summer.
Foundation Pros of Winnipeg Owner Lloyd Harder said he’s seen a spike in calls from people concerned about their foundations.
“Now that we’re into July it seems like we’re just focusing on the dry problems. The cracking, the sinking,” said Harder.
While the rain began to fall Monday, and is in the forecast until Wednesday, it may be too late for the moisture to help some homes.
“The one concern of foundations is they’re more like tires on cars,” said Harder. “They don’t get better, they eventually wear out, and the more stress that they’re put under the more problems.”
City streets are also seeing the effects. On Friday, a section of Kellendonk Road near Aldgate Road in South St. Vital heaved due to dryness.
The city said there is some minor heaving happening around Winnipeg, though it’s not hazardous at this time.
Meanwhile, lawns are also falling victim to the bone dry weather. Weed Man President David Hinton said the clay-based soil in the Red River Valley acts different. When it rains, he said the water tends to pool on the ground before absorbing into the lawn.
“When they dry out you can almost see large cracks in people’s yards where the crack is about half an inch wide and six inches deep into the lawn,” said Hinton.
In order for Mother Nature to fix cracking lawns, Hinton said Winnipeg would need to have about two to three days of slow rain, otherwise he recommends breaking out the hose.
“Just use an empty tuna can underneath your sprinklers and when the tuna can is full, that’s about an inch and a half,” said Hinton. “That’s good for typically a week, unless it’s really hot and windy out.”
The city said water usage typically goes up in the summer from people doing lawn maintenance, gardening, and playing in the pool. While we’re not currently in a water shortage from the dry conditions, the city still encourages people to be mindful of how much water they’re using.
