And fall rains came too late to reset many damaged structures. The settling and cracking of houses is especially widespread in Electra, where the clay content of the soil is high. Water shortages this summer and fall kept residents from watering their yards during the dry months. But whether watering would have stabilized the soil enough to protect most houses from drought-related problems is unclear. Whatever the case, recent rains have turned the Electra lawn-watering issue into a moot point.
Yards are green from the rain, and some structure cracks are narrowing on their own.
Inspectors recently looked at cracked buildings in the Electra Housing Authority apartment complex. The brick buildings are built on slab foundations. Part of Tramell's job is to fix doors that stick - a telltale sign that a building has shifted. Doors have kept Tramell busy this year. Cracks in walls also mean trouble.