CHARLOTTE -- Residential lawns aren’t the only places being hit hard by the drought. Plant nursery’s and landscaping businesses have been hit hard as well. Many say that business has dropped off about 20 percent of more.

One Queen City business has seen a boom in business, as the Mount Valley Foundation Repair crew is seeing its work schedule fill up. If there’s the slightest crack in the foundation, Scott Wingard and his guys are on the way.

In the case of a chimney separating from a home, Wingard and his crew will dig to the foundation’s bottom. They’ll add a brace, using

20-foot poles to keep it in place, before hydraulically lifting the chimney back against the home.

Projects like these are increasing as the rainfall decreases.

"During the drought the clay retracts and when it gets wet it expands and with this drought it does cause more problems,” said Wingard.

He said common foundation problems are easy to spot, from cracks to having problems opening and closing doors and windows.

Local foundation repair companies report experiencing a 20 percent increase in business this summer compared to last year at this time. Owners attribute it to the drought.