Soil

The soil underneath and around your house, as well as the health of that soil, has a tremendous impact on the structure.

There are many kinds of soil throughout the country and the world, but there are three basic ingredients that make up soil and its texture – silt, clay, and sand, as well as a combination of any or all of them. NASA Earth Observatory maps show how much of these ingredients can be found across the country. Faster-draining sandy soils can be found in southern states. Clay soils that hold onto water and silt soils that tend to have intermediate drainage properties are found across the country.

The West North Central region that includes Minnesota, North Dakota, and eastern Montana has a good mix of all three. You can find out specifically what soil you are dealing with by searching your address through the Web Soil Survey from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.