How Does the Climate and Soil of Richmond and Petersburg, VA Affect My Home?

Both the cities of Richmond and Petersburg, VA have quite a high average amount of rainfall per year. In fact, Richmond, VA averages 44 inches of rain annually while Petersburg averages at 46 inches of rain annually. Not only does it rain all throughout the year, but these cities also experience snow in the winter season, with Richmond averaging 11 inches of snow and Petersburg’s averages sitting at 6 inches. This can amount to quite a bit of water that can accumulate in the ground of your home, and thus, impact the likelihood of water and structural damages if you are not careful.

The state soil of Virginia is known as Pamunkey soil, a combination type soil that has a sandy loam surface with sandy clay resting within the lower layers. Sand-based soils are highly vulnerable to soil erosion by either wind or water due to their fine soil particle size and texture. Clay soils, on the other hand, are susceptible to swelling when saturated with water and shrinking when water evaporates from it, causing surrounding soil to shift and become weakened with time. Soil that has been eroded or weakened can easily be compressed downwards, leaving more room for water to collect in the ground, and thus, within your home. 

Since it rains all year round in Virginia, the soil is always going to be exposed to some water one way or another. More water, regardless of whether it takes the form of rain or melted snow, means that it can accumulate underground and can alter your home in different ways. Large volumes of water in the ground can leak into your crawl space or basement quite easily and even affect the structure of your concrete slabs. Furthermore, water-exposed and shifted soils can alter the stability of your foundation, resulting in crack formation and buckling in walls.