If you’ve noticed uneven floors, sagging walls or cracks in your home’s foundation, it may be time to seek professional help. But which repair method is right for you?
Foundation Repair Plano involves installing supports like hydraulic jacks or steel piers under the house. These will slowly lift sunken areas of the foundation and stabilize them.
Concrete piers are a popular and stable method of foundation repair, stabilizing homes with minimal cost. They are a great choice for damp climates because they prevent water from getting under a home and causing damage, and they are also durable enough to support heavy structures like homes and garages.
The durability of a concrete pier depends on its strength and how deep it goes into the ground. Concrete piers can be reinforced with steel to increase their load-bearing capacity and improve their longevity, and they are typically coated in galvanized metal to resist corrosion from minerals in the soil.
Before a foundation repair crew installs concrete piers, it must perform a thorough soil test to determine the best depth for the piers. The piers should be installed at a minimum of 6 feet into the ground, but they can go as far as 75 feet or more. In some cases, helical piers may be used in place of concrete piers to reach a deeper layer of load-bearing soil.
Once the foundation repair team pours concrete into each pier location, it must leave the area undisturbed for a time to cure for strength. This process can take a few weeks to a month or longer, and it is essential for the longevity of the piers. If the concrete is not allowed to cure correctly, it will eventually weaken and crack.
Once the concrete has cured, hydraulic jacks can be placed on top of each pier location to lift the foundation back up to its original elevation. The piers can then be topped with concrete or steel shims to close the gap between the top of the pier and the foundation, creating a level surface for the house to rest on. The shims can also be used to fill in any holes or cracks in the foundation. After the piers have been shimmed, the hydraulic jacks can be removed and the foundation is ready to be used again.
Steel Piers
Steel piers are a foundation repair solution that is highly recommended for its long-term stability and sturdiness. They are especially effective for homes built on clay soil that is prone to expansion and contraction caused by moisture absorption. These piers are designed to be driven into the soil to an extremely deep level, often to bedrock, transferring the weight of the home from unstable soil to stronger underlying strata.
Using a system called unified hydraulic jacking, a work crew will drill holes into your home’s slab and insert the hollow steel piers. Each pier is driven into the ground by a hydraulic jack until it reaches the point of refusal, which is when it reaches solid strata or bedrock. After each pier is installed it is load tested to determine that it can handle the full weight of your home.
The piers are made of high grade galvanized steel that provides excellent strength. They are also very stable, able to withstand large loads and even a seismic event. They have a long service life and can be repaired with ease. The only drawbacks to this method are the upfront costs and complex installation process.
A major benefit to steel piers is that they are not affected by soil movement as much as concrete piers. However, it is important to note that soil changes can still cause damage to the piers, so it is best to work with a professional to ensure the piers are being installed at the correct depth.
Another advantage to this method is that it puts very little pressure on the existing foundation during the insertion process. This is a huge advantage over other repair methods that use helical or screw anchors to drive the piers into place.
The piers are also less likely to corrode underground than concrete, and are less vulnerable to moisture swelling, which can cause other foundation repair methods to fail over time. Because of this, reputable foundation repair products like IDEAL can offer lengthy product warranties for their steel piers. This helps to give homeowners peace of mind that their investment will last for decades.
Spot Piers
Owning a home comes with a never-ending to-do list, and jobs pertaining to your foundation are among the most important. Taking care of the foundation of your house helps to ensure the safety and long-term value of your investment. While it may be easy to push off these tasks, doing so is risky. It’s much better to schedule repairs right away than to wait until it’s too late.
One way to prevent problems with your pier and beam foundation is to have regular inspections done by a structural engineer. This can help to spot small problems before they become serious, saving you money in the long run. In addition, if you have a crawl space in your home, keep it well-ventilated to limit moisture, which can cause wood rot and mold growth that can weaken the foundation.
In some cases, minor repairs are all that’s needed to fix your pier and beam foundation. This can be accomplished through a process called “reshimming.” A worker inside your home locates low spots by using a bubble level or laser and then wedges metal shims in between the foundation piers and wooden sill beams to make them more even. This will stop the floor from sagging and is a very cost-effective way to save your foundation.
Another repair method for pier and beam foundations is to use hydraulic piers. These are different from traditional drilled concrete or pressed concrete piers in that they feature multiple bearing plates. This allows them to transfer weight through the piers and down into more stable soil. These piers require less excavation and can be designed for your exact soil conditions.
Steel piers are also an excellent option for repairing a sagging or sinking foundation. They are designed to transfer a large amount of weight and are ideal for stabilizing houses with sagging or tilting floors, buckling walls, and sticking windows and doors.
Regardless of the type of pier you choose, it’s critical to have a qualified foundation repair contractor assess your home and recommend the correct solution. Choosing the best repair method is the key to safeguarding your investment.
Drain Tile
Drain tiles, also known as French drains, keep the soil around your home dry by collecting and channeling water seepage away from your foundation. They can be installed on the interior or exterior of a home and are the preferred option for new construction since they’re inexpensive to install during the building process.
If you’ve noticed cracks in the walls of your home, especially in the basement or cove joint (where the floor meets the wall), a bowed floor or doors that don’t open and close properly, you probably need a drain tile system. These systems include perforated pipes, set in a trench and covered with gravel, that direct groundwater to a sump pump and away from the foundation.
These systems are typically more effective than a crack injection repair, as they address the underlying cause of your foundation problems by addressing soil conditions under and around your home. When paired with a hydraulic jack or steel piers, these systems can elevate sunken areas of the foundation and prevent further movement while stabilizing your home.
Concrete piles, sometimes referred to as helical or screw piles, are another solution for lifting and repairing a failing foundation. They’re a less expensive approach to other types of foundation support and are often appropriate for homes with a shallow foundation that doesn’t require significant raising or stabilizing. They are typically driven into the ground beneath your home using a crane and may be used alone or in conjunction with other repairs such as crack injection.
When deciding on which foundation repair method is best for your home, make sure the contractor you hire has experience and explains what they’re going to do and why. It’s also a good idea to ask the foundation repair company to provide a written estimate of the cost and time frame for the project.
If you have a foundation problem, contact your local concrete and foundation repair specialist to discuss solutions for fixing your home’s foundation. A good contractor will have a wide range of repair methods that can be used to fix your foundation. They should also be able to explain the pros and cons of each and help you find the right solution for your needs.