Climate Change in California and How It Affects Your Home

In 2023, California took significant legislative strides in advancing its climate initiatives. However, the residents of the Golden State experienced firsthand the repercussions of extreme climate conditions anyway. 

With nearly 85 percent of California’s population living or working in coastal counties, the deadly wildfires and the unprecedented wet conditions following years of drought are leaving indelible marks on homes and businesses across the state.  

While much is written on the topic, this article aims to guide homeowners on key indicators to watch for in their home and the importance of taking preemptive measures to brace for extreme weather. 

California homeowners have faced an increasingly volatile climate in recent years, a trend that peaked in 2023 with what the media has termed “climate whiplash.” 

This term describes a rapid shift from prolonged droughts to episodes of extreme rain. 

While the state has long grappled with the impacts of drought, the sudden onslaught of heavy rainfall introduces its own set of challenges.  

Taking steps to safeguard your home against the impact of climate change is now more crucial than ever. 

While California is currently drought-free for the first time in years, it’s important to understand how droughts impact your home.  

Problem: Foundation Settlement

During dry conditions, the soil around and underneath your home shrinks. This shrinking creates voids, leading to uneven home settlement that compromises its stability and safety.  

Look for cracks in your brickwork, sticking doors and windows, nail pops, or an uneven floor.  

Solution: Foundation Piers

To prevent sinking caused by drought, Bay Area Underpinning installs foundation piers to stabilize and potentially lift your home back to its original position.  

These piers bypass shifting soil, anchoring deeply into the stable, permanent bedrock below, offering a lasting solution to drought problems. 

Flooding is becoming a stark reality for California, where one in five residents lives in areas vulnerable to floodwaters. 

The surge in atmospheric rivers over the last year has made it crucial to keep a close eye on this phenomenon, as the risk of flooding escalates with the intensity of these rivers in the sky. 

What is an atmospheric river?  

An atmospheric river is a long, narrow region in the atmosphere that carries moisture thousands of miles, often from the tropics to cooler regions. When these rivers in the sky make landfall, they release this moisture in the form of prolonged rainfall. 

So, how do flooding and rainfall impact your home? 

2023 brought another unusual weather event to California—heavy snow. In March, some regions saw up to 6 feet of snow, while the Sierra Nevada mountains reported 10 feet of snow in places. In addition to causing widespread road closures and flight and traffic delays, the wildlife in the area was significantly impacted by the intense snowfall.  

With the prospect of another wet winter ahead, it’s important to understand how this abnormal snowfall can affect your home. 

The storms of 2023 brought not only rain and snow but also strong winds. In January alone, Sacramento witnessed the fall of over 1000 trees due to storm-related winds, tragically resulting in one fatality. 

As wind continues to cause problems across California, let’s understand how it affects our homes. 

Problem: Foundation Settlement 

Strong winds, when combined with heavy rainfall, can lead to serious erosion under your home, causing the foundation to settle or sink.  

Uprooted trees from the wind can worsen this problem, as they disturb the soil even more. 

Solution: Foundation Piers 

Foundation piers are effective not only for the issues caused by drought but also for homes dealing with erosion following wind damage. 

Because piers are driven deep into the ground until they reach stable, load-bearing strata, they remain unaffected by soil erosion.