Armadillos, and gophers, and moles, oh my! If you live outside city limits, you’re no stranger to digging critters in your yard. From little dirt mounds to full-on tunnel systems, gophers, moles, and even armadillos can make it look like someone’s been mining for gold out there.
It’s easy to start wondering if all that burrowing is threatening the stability of your home’s foundation.
Let’s be clear, we’re not wildlife specialists here at Anchor Foundation Repair. We don’t trap, relocate, or chase down armadillos in our line of work. But we are foundation repair experts, and after decades of fixing homes around Brazos Valley, we’ve never had to do a repair solely because of these critters.
In this article, we’ll explain how these animals interact with your yard and foundation, what’s different between slab vs. crawl space homes, how to keep the pests away from your home’s perimeter, and how to spot real signs of foundation issues before they get worse.
Can Tunneling Critters Around My Home Cause Foundation Issues?
Burrowing animals can stir up trouble for you, but foundation damage? That’s a stretch. We’ve got an article that counts down the top causes of foundation damage that we see in our area, and burrowing critters doesn’t even make the list.
Most of the time, the damage these diggers do is limited to your lawn. Their tunnels might make things bumpy or unsightly, but they’re not strong enough, or persistent enough, to crack or collapse a foundation. Their digging is typically shallow and scattered, not concentrated under your footings where real harm would need to occur.
Now, if they’re left to dig undisturbed for years and the tunneling alters how water flows around your home, soil erosion or drainage issues could eventually become a concern. But that’s more about long-term neglect than direct damage from animals. Foundation issues caused strictly by digging animals are highly unlikely around these parts and not something we’ve seen in our everyday work.
So, while it’s a good idea to stay aware of their activity, you can rest easy knowing that a mole or armadillo isn’t about to bring your house down. They might turn an ankle or two and bring you down to the dirt if you don’t mind those yard holes though . . .
How Digging Animals Affect Crawl Space vs. Slab Homes
Foundation type matters when it comes to how vulnerable your home might be to animal activity. Slab foundations are thick, heavy, and built to sit on compacted soil. Even if something digs underneath, it typically doesn’t create a big enough void to cause structural movement.
Plus, they would have to dig down a few feet to even get underneath a slab perimeter beam!
Crawl space homes, on the other hand, rest on shallowly inset piers that rely on the soil beneath them for support. If animal tunneling weakens that soil, especially under one particular pier, it could eventually cause that section of the home to settle.
We’re not saying it happens often or that we’ve even seen it, but if any foundation type is going to have a li’l trouble because of critters, this is the one to watch.
However, these animals are just smart enough to know that digging under a pier isn’t ideal. They prefer to create tunnels in stable soil where cave-ins won’t happen, so they would likely avoid burrowing directly beneath the piers of your crawl space home . . . at least that’s what I think anyhow . . .
Bottom line: slab foundations are pretty much safe from animal interference, while crawl spaces may need a closer look if digging is going on nearby. You can learn more about how crawl space homes are supported here.
How Can I Keep Burrowing Pests Away From My Foundation?
The best way to prevent problems is by keeping the critters away from your foundation in the first place. A little effort now can go a long way in making your yard less appealing to tunnel-happy pests.
Start by sealing up any obvious holes near your home. Fill them with gravel, dirt, or cement so animals can’t reopen them. Keeping this area stable helps preserve the soil around your foundation.
Other ways to discourage unwanted burrowing pests according to the interwebs:
- Try some non-toxic deterrents like scent based repellants (castor oil, garlic or pepper sprays), sound and vibration devices, or strategic repelling plants these animals don’t like. Search the internet for specific ideas, and be prepared to reapply and maintain.
- Install underground barriers like hardware cloth or mesh fencing buried at least 12 inches deep around key areas.
- Trap and relocate humanely or call in a professional wildlife service and avoid poisons, which are unsafe and not very effective.
- Keep things tidy. Mow regularly, remove brush piles, and don’t leave pet food or water bowls outside. If your yard doesn’t feel welcoming, the animals will usually move on.
- For crawl space homes in particular, install/maintain a skirting material that deters animal entry and clear out the crawl space of inviting elements like fluffy insulation or neat places to hide in piles of debris, and fix under-home water leaks asap.
Need more tips? Check out our article on how to prevent and solve drainage problems around your home since poor drainage can also be tied to pest-prone areas. Here’s an article that’s geared towards crawl space homes too.
What Signs Should I Look for to Know If I Have Foundation Damage?
Even if digging animals aren’t the culprit, you might still be dealing with real foundation issues caused by soil movement or drainage problems. It’s important to know what to look for so you can take action early.
Some signs of foundation problems include:
- Diagonal cracks in walls, stair-step cracks in brick mortar,
- Doors and windows that stick or won’t shut properly,
- Sagging, rattling, or sloping floors, especially in crawl space homes,
- Moisture, musty smells, or mold in your crawl space, and
- Soft ground or small sinkholes near a slab foundation edge (not as common).
If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, our guide on how to spot the top signs of foundation issues can help you make sense of the symptoms.
Final Thoughts on Armadillos, Gophers, and Moles
You’ve got critters in the yard and tunnels near your home, and naturally, your mind goes to the worst-case scenario. But in truth, digging animals aren’t a major threat to your home’s foundation. While they may be a nuisance – and yes, they can alter the landscape over time – they’re simply not powerful enough to bring structural harm on their own.
You now know the difference between a critter problem and a real foundation issue. Slab foundations are rarely affected, and even crawl space homes are only at risk when animals disturb the soil directly under support piers. You also have a few practical ways to discourage pests from getting too cozy near your home in the first place.
From here, the smart move is to stay observant. Keep an eye out for true signs of foundation trouble, like cracks, uneven floors, or sticky doors and windows. If you spot those, that’s when it’s time to reach out to Anchor if you live in the Brazos Valley area or learn more from our article on the real (and misleading) signs of foundation problems.
You might also want to see how foundation settlement really happens to understand what’s behind most damage we do see.