Retaining walls can provide long-term solutions for landscaping issues like erosion or steep and unnavigable terrain. If they are installed correctly by experienced hardscaping experts, like those at Triad Associates, retaining walls can last for decades. However, in order to achieve that longevity and continue offering the performance you need, retaining wall maintenance is crucial. Otherwise, your retaining wall could be at risk of failing early, costing you dearly in repairs or replacement and creating big problems for your landscaping.
What is a Retaining Wall?
A retaining wall does exactly what its name suggests: It is a wall that helps to retain the land behind it. Retaining walls are built on sloped terrain to help better manage the land. They may be installed to provide better access to the terrain, such as by putting steps between the retaining walls to make it easier to go from one section of the property to another. They may also be installed as a means of stopping erosion and making it easier to maintain the landscape. Different materials and building styles can be employed to create the desired look for the property.
Retaining Wall Maintenance Tips
Installing a retaining wall can be a significant expense – albeit a worthwhile one. You can protect your investment by performing regular retaining wall maintenance, helping to extend its life, ensure its functionality, and preserve its good looks. Here are some simple things you can do to maintain your retaining wall:
1. Regular Inspections
Retaining walls require expertise to construct properly. Multiple considerations come into play, including how much land is behind the retaining wall, the type of materials that will need to be used, and the methods of construction. The same expertise is required to know if the wall is holding up the way it should over time. You need to hire a retaining wall contractor to regularly inspect your wall and make sure that it does not need any repair or maintenance.
2. Clean Debris
Just like any hardscaping elements, retaining walls can collect a lot of dirt and debris, including sticks, leaves, and other organic materials. These can cause the retaining wall to become stained (for concrete or stone) or to begin to rot (for wood). Be sure to keep the retaining wall free of debris in order to promote proper retaining wall maintenance.
3. Check for Cracks
Even stone can break down over time. Cracks in a stone or concrete retaining wall can lead to much bigger problems in time. Check your retaining wall regularly for the development of any cracks, and contact a retaining wall contractor right away if you notice any.
4. Monitor Drainage
Improper drainage can be the death of a retaining wall. If drainage is not handled properly, water can build up behind the wall, causing it to lean, crack, or even fall over. You must work with a reputable retaining wall contractor when you install your wall, ensuring that drainage is handled properly right from the start. Then, as part of your retaining wall maintenance process, you need to check the area around the wall regularly to make sure that water is draining properly.
5. Control Vegetation
Just like yard debris, vegetation can build up over time and cause threats to your retaining wall. It can grow on or through your wall, causing cracks and blemishes. Keep the area around your retaining wall trimmed, and check for trouble spots regularly.
6. Maintain Backfill
Some retaining walls include permeability. For example, a flagstone retaining wall is simply a collection of stacked stone, and dirt and water can flow through those cracks. Over time, that can result in less dirt behind the wall, which can undermine its performance. Regular retaining wall maintenance involves checking the backfill behind the retaining wall and maintaining its level if it becomes too low.
7. Repair Erosion
Similarly, you’ll need to keep an eye out for signs of erosion behind or beside your retaining wall. Erosion can change the terrain around your retaining wall, making it vulnerable and undermining its performance. If you identify erosion, correct it by adding soil and appropriate plantings to prevent its progression. You may also need to consider additional hardscaping or drainage measures, such as a french drain, to address ongoing problems.
8. Reinforce Weak Areas
Even with the best planning, weak areas can emerge in and around retaining walls over time. The land shifts, changes occur with drainage, and other issues arise that weaken the wall at points. Regular retaining wall maintenance involves keeping an eye out for these issues and calling in a retaining wall contractor to reinforce the wall as needed.
9. Protect from Water
Improper drainage is not the only threat from water to your retaining wall. Exposure to the elements can cause some materials to break down over time, such as wood. You can protect the retaining wall by sealing these materials from water to shield them from the effects of water and other elements.
10. Ensure Proper Grading
If the land around your retaining wall changes, that can impact the longevity and effectiveness of the wall. Regular retaining wall maintenance helps ensure proper grading around your wall to maintain it. This may involve re-grading areas around the wall or installing new hardscaping elements.
11. Address Leaning
Don’t ignore leaning in your retaining wall, even if it is slight. That lean will get worse with time, and your retaining wall can fall. Call in a retaining wall contractor to correct a lean as soon as you notice it.
12. Prevent Pest Infestation
Pests can take up residence behind your retaining wall, creating a nuisance. If you have a wood retaining wall, the pests can eventually rot it. If you have a stone retaining wall, certain kinds of pests can cause cracks or even a lean. Regular retaining wall maintenance should include good pest control to protect your property and your retaining wall.
13. Maintain Capstones
Capstones aren’t just nice decorative elements for your retaining wall. They can also help to stabilize your wall and make it easier to manage the surrounding area. Maintain your capstones by keeping them clean and making any needed repairs in a timely manner.
14. Fix Displaced Blocks
Many retaining walls are composed of stacked blocks. Over time, those blocks may become displaced, such as by being hit by some object, being pushed by the force of water, or the movement of pests. Regular retaining wall maintenance includes fixing any displaced blocks when you notice them to help ensure that your retaining wall stays in good shape and good working order.
15. Document Maintenance
It can be hard to remember all the work you do on your home and your property. Keep a log of the maintenance you perform so you aren’t left searching your memory. That way, you can schedule needed maintenance on time and keep your retaining wall protected.
Professional Retaining Wall Maintenance
Keeping up with this maintenance can be just one more task in your busy schedule, and you may not always know what signs to watch for or how to address them. That’s why Triad Associates offers retaining wall maintenance in addition to our hardscaping services. Not only can we expertly design and install a beautiful and effective retaining wall to meet your needs, but we can provide the ongoing maintenance services you need to ensure a long life for that wall. With the right maintenance, you can protect your investment and your property, saving yourself a lot of money and preserving the beautiful curb appeal of your home.
Why Hire a Local Retaining Wall Expert?
You have many options for hiring a retaining wall contractor – or even attempting to do the work yourself. However, there are many reasons why you would benefit most from hiring a local retaining wall expert, like those at Triad Associates.
Local climate conditions have a big impact on retaining walls, and if you are going to have a strong retaining wall that performs successfully for years to come, you need someone local who understands these conditions and knows how to plan for them. That can include extreme temperature changes, typical rainfall, soil conditions, and more.
Local contractors also have roots in the community in which you live. They make their homes in the same place, and they conduct business there. That means that they are more invested in making solid relationships within that community, which means they will be more committed to doing great work and providing great service. When you work with a local retaining wall expert, you are working with someone who has a reason beyond profit to deliver on the promises they make and ensure that you are happy with the results.
Hire Triad Associates’ Retaining Wall Experts Today
The retaining wall maintenance experts at Triad Associates have been working in the Haverhill, MA, community for four decades. They have established a reputation for their exceptional service, superior workmanship, and long-lasting results. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our retaining wall experts and begin exploring solutions for your property. Our designers will create a retaining wall that elevates your property while also solving the problems you are experiencing with your terrain. Contact us today to get started!
