Foundation Repair can increase your home’s resale value. It’s also worth it for your safety and to avoid more costly structural damage down the road.
The process begins with an onsite inspection where the foundation repair contractor determines the needed support locations, installs supports, and performs a raising or stabilization to bring your home back to it’s original elevation.
Soil conditions have a major impact on the stability of your foundation. The type of soil your home is built upon determines how the house will react to changes in moisture and groundwater influences. Most importantly, the soil type affects whether the foundation will shrink or swell. This sensitivity to moisture and seasonal changes can cause damage that requires foundation repair.
The most problematic soil types are clay, sand, silt, and loam. Each of these soils has different qualities, but they all have a common trait: they react differently to changes in moisture and groundwater conditions. Clay is very dense and clings to water. When it becomes wet, it expands greatly and can put a lot of pressure on the foundation walls. However, when it dries out, it shrinks significantly.
This expansion and contraction puts a lot of stress on the foundation that can crack, buckle, or even shift causing foundation settlement. This can be caused by heavy rains, plumbing leaks, or poor drainage near your home that causes water to pool.
In many cases, a property will have several different types of soils in the active zone that is immediately around and underneath your home. Generally speaking, these layers of sand, silt, clay, and loam will go down for about 30 feet or more before reaching rock or very stable, densely packed soils.
When builders construct houses, they do not always factor in how the site’s soil composition will affect foundation construction. During the building process, the construction team will bring in loose fill soil to level the area and make the site ready for foundation construction. This soil has been brought in from somewhere else and may not have been properly compressed before it was buried beneath the new foundation.
Additionally, once the foundation is poured, they do not usually check to ensure that the ground slopes away from the house correctly. If the slope is off, this will also allow for water to accumulate and saturate the soil and cause it to change consistency. This can be a huge problem for your foundation and lead to sinking, bowing, and cracks in the walls of your home.
Piers
The piers that support foundation repair are typically made of concrete or steel. They bypass the problematic soil directly under the building and transfer the weight of the structure to a more stable layer beneath. They are designed to work in almost any upper soil condition and are considered a permanent solution for foundation issues.
Foundation piers are commonly used to fix pier and beam homes, but they are also often the best option for concrete slab-on-grade houses that experience significant settlement. They are often a better choice than shims, especially for homes built before 1950.
Pressed concrete piers are blocks or cylinders of pre-cured concrete that are installed in holes under the foundation. They can be a low-cost alternative to steel piers for repairing a home’s foundation if the conditions are right, but they are vulnerable to moisture swelling which may make them unsuitable for areas with constantly wet soil.
Steel piers are galvanized steel posts that are driven deep into the ground to reach bedrock or compacted soil that is stable enough to support a home’s foundation. They are the most expensive of all the pier options but they provide the greatest level of stability and work well in nearly all upper soil conditions.
Helical Steel Piers are augered into the ground to weathered shale or bedrock at a depth of 15 feet or more. They have helix plates welded to the end of each pier shaft that help them dig in and resist upward pressure. Unlike other pier types, they do not place any stress on the foundation during installation and can be installed quickly with minimal landscape disruption.
Polyurethane Concrete Lifting is a quick and inexpensive method for raising the foundation of a house or other structure by injecting polyurethane foam under the foundation. This lifting technique is only effective in certain situations and should only be performed by a qualified professional. If you are considering a foundation repair and want to know more about the options available in your area, contact HD Foundations today. We are familiar with local soil conditions and will perform a thorough site inspection to recommend the most suitable solution for your foundation.
Pilings
Whether they are made of concrete or steel, the piles (or piers) that support foundation repair help lift and stabilize the home. They also help transfer and resist the foundation’s weight from the soil to where it is actually supported, thereby relieving the pressure on the home’s foundation. Most homes require some form of underpinning in order to correct foundation problems, such as cracks in walls and floors, sagging and sinking floors, or doors and windows that stick.
A home’s foundation will shift over time due to the soil it rests on eroding. This is why most if not all homes will need the help of a foundation repair specialist at some point in their life. If left unchecked, this shifting can lead to bowing walls and sinking floors. One way to prevent this is by installing a home foundation waterproofing system that drains water away from the house’s foundation. However, this is often only a temporary fix and will only protect the foundation if the issue is caught early enough. This is why it is essential to understand how different methods of foundation repair work in order to choose the best option for your situation.
Pilings in a foundation repair are typically made of either concrete or steel and range from several inches to many feet in length and thickness. The repair team will typically install these by digging underneath the foundation of your home and using a hydraulic ram to “drive” them into the ground. Once a piling has reached the point of refusal (meaning it can no longer be driven any further into the earth), the team will then install a bracket and a support cylinder. These cylinders are then attached to the bracket and placed under the foundation to transfer the weight of the structure from the damaged soil onto the pilings.
Another method of pile installation involves creating tunnels underneath the foundation of your home and then installing the pilings through these tunnels. This allows you to remain living in your home as the work is being done and eliminates the need for drilling holes through your floors. However, it can still be a messy and expensive repair method.
Repair Process
Many foundation repair contractors begin their work by having a structural engineer inspect the area. The structural engineer will diagnose the problem, recommend a solution and give you a repair estimate.
During the site preparation stage, the contractor will clear the area around your home to prepare for the repair. This will include removing any flowers, shrubs and other plants that may be in the way. It will also involve removing debris that could hinder the process such as concrete slabs or other materials. Once the area is cleared, the construction will begin.
There are several different methods to repair a foundation but the most common is steel piers. These are made of galvanized steel and are drilled into the ground under your home. They can go as deep as needed to reach bedrock or soil that will support your foundation. Steel piers can handle massive amounts of weight, will not rust and are considered permanent repairs.
Concrete piers are another option and can be used in combination with steel piers to support your foundation. During the construction of concrete piers, contractors drill cylindrical holes under your foundation and pour liquid concrete into these holes. Then, they will lift your foundation with hydraulic jacks to level and stabilize it. This is a quick and cost-effective method that is used in many cases.
For light-loaded areas, spot piers are a good option. These are concrete supports that the contractor can hand dig and place in specific areas of your foundation that need more support. The advantage of using spot piers is that they don’t require gaining entry to your home.
When the piering and shoring are finished, the contractor will cover up any holes that were dug under or around your foundation. This will prevent any unwanted dirt from falling onto your foundation and possibly making the situation worse.
If the problem with your foundation is caused by water issues, the repair may also include waterproofing measures to stop future problems. This can include waterproofing coatings or installing drainage systems that will ensure that water is directed away from the foundation.