Beginners Guide to Seawalls
As many already know, owning a waterfront property doesn’t come without risks. Docks, boats, and any other waterfront equipment all come with their own risks and headaches, but people often overlook their land. Homeowners want to protect their investment, yet they will see their land slowly eroding over time due to the waters’ acidity. The prime way to protect your waterfront investment is with a seawall.
Advantages of Owning A Seawall
A seawall’s main purpose is to help keep your land in control. However, you can break that down and look at all the benefits it can provide. A seawall will help protect your home’s value by preventing the shoreline from eroding. This will help a home not only maintain it’s value, but also increase it and perhaps allow the house to sell quickly when the time comes.
Another protection method that seawalls offer is protection from natural disasters such as floods or hurricanes. Water will have a much higher distance to travel before it reaches land. This helps buy time in case of any evacuations. A seawall can also prevent water from traveling to a house.
Constructing A Seawall
When developing seawall, first the shoreline must be evaluated to determine which type will fit best. Generally in the Midwest, the two types of seawall you’ll find is curved and vertical. The next decision to make would be the material used. There are several types of material from galvanized or non-galvanized steel, concrete, vinyl, or composite. We here at Deaton’s Waterfront Services commonly construct steel seawalls. During construction of one of our seawalls, we first lay out our panels by interlocking them and making sure they’re level. Once level, we drive the panel into the ground using an excavator. The height of your seawall off the water is known as the grade. Typically this is 30-40″ off the water, but every case is different. To finish the installation process up, the panels will be covered with a top cap and tied back to the support poles.
Best Time for Seawalls
While most waterfront projects typically must be done in season when the lake is thawed, the nice thing about seawalls is they can be installed year-round! So for an easier installation, the best time of the year to purchase a seawall and have it installed would be winter since the schedule will practically be wide open.
Owning a seawall is an investment that will pay for itself over time. It helps maintain the value of your property, and gives you a layer of protection against nature. If you are interested in a seawall, feel free to request a quote from us. Feel free to stop by our office at 215 S. Madison St, Fortville, IN 46040 or give us a call at (317)747-4933.