Foundation repair specialists identify the root cause of problems like cracks, bowing walls, and sagging floors. They then choose a long-lasting solution.
Before Concrete Franklin TN starts repairs, the crew covers furniture with plastic and may turn off your home’s heat or cooling system to prevent dust. They also place tarps in high-traffic areas to avoid tracking dirt throughout your home.
Slab Piers
If your concrete foundation is sinking due to weak soil, you need a solution that can address the root cause and prevent future issues. Many foundation repair professionals recommend a solution called slab piers for these types of problems. They are designed specifically for slab-on-grade foundations, and they can be installed quickly and with less invasiveness than other repair options.
Slab piers are designed with steel and concrete to provide structural support for the foundation. They can be driven down through the unstable soil to a stable layer beneath the foundation that can hold the weight of the home and prevent further movement or subsidence. These piers can also be used to lift the foundation back to its original level.
In general, the piers are driven through holes that have been drilled through or near the foundation. The helical or push slab piers are then screwed in at an angle to the bottom of the hole, which can be as deep as 10 feet or more. The piers are then filled with cement to provide long-lasting stability and support for the foundation.
These piers can be used to fix a variety of common problems, including sinking foundations, bowing walls, and cracking and warping floors. They are also often recommended for homes that have settled due to frost heaving, which occurs when clay-rich soils freeze and expand in cycles, pulling on the foundation and leaving voids underneath it.
While foundation piers can be used to solve a variety of issues, they don’t work in every situation and aren’t always the best option. In some cases, a damaged foundation may be caused by other factors, such as water intrusion or poor drainage. In these cases, a professional may recommend waterproofing or other measures to address the root causes of the problem.
No matter what the cause, it’s important to contact a professional as soon as you notice signs of a settling foundation. Waiting will only make the issue worse and lead to more costly repairs down the road. A foundation specialist can help you find the best solutions for your unique situation, whether that means slab piers, helical piers, or another type of solution.
Wall Anchors
Wall anchors are a foundation repair option that helps stabilize and in many cases straighten bowing basement walls. Bowed basement walls are caused by pressure from wet soil, and wall anchors are able to counteract this pressure. They do so by connecting to the walls and pulling against the force of water. When this force is not fought off, it can cause your foundation to crack, bow, or lean. Wall anchors are ideal for homes with serious bowing walls because they go beyond repairing the obvious damage and actually address the root cause of the problem.
Wet expanding clay soil is a major contributor to bowing basement walls. It reaches its peak during heavy rains and freeze/thaw cycles, when water fills the soil around your home. As the soil expands, it places significant stress on your foundation walls. When the soil contracts, it puts even more pressure on your walls. This back-and-forth movement is known as hydrostatic pressure, and it can weaken your foundation walls and lead to cracks and leaking in your basement.
One way to avoid hydrostatic pressure is through proper drainage systems around your house. This includes exterior French drains, gutter downspout extensions, and yard grading. However, these solutions are not always effective, especially if the soil next to your foundation is saturated with groundwater or contaminated with toxins. Another solution is through the use of foundation piers and other ground stabilization techniques, including helical tieback anchors and push piles.
A basement foundation repair service like JES uses a patented wall anchor system that consists of steel rods that extend into the soil outside your home. Inside your basement, technicians will attach a steel plate that fits over each anchor. A nut on the rod’s end tightens to apply clamping pressure to your basement walls, halting their inward movement and often straightening them.
Choosing a wall anchor system is an excellent solution for severe bowing basement walls, when light interventions like carbon fiber straps have failed. They are also a great choice for homes with shearing basement walls, where the top of your basement wall is moving inward while the bottom stays put.
Crawl Space Support Jacks
Crawl space support jacks are one of the best ways to stabilize a foundation and prevent long-term damage. Like other jacks, crawl space jacks are constructed of a durable material and designed to provide support to a home. However, they also feature several important differences from traditional jacks.
First, the jacks are built to accommodate shifting soils, which is a common cause of foundation damage. Soil isn’t simply dirt; it’s a living, breathing entity that shifts and expands, affecting everything that rests upon it. Because of this, the jacks are designed to account for different soil types, just as shoes are made to fit based on the terrain.
Another key difference is the way in which crawl space jacks are installed. Unlike other jacks that use a hydraulic cylinder, crawl space jacks rely on a screw-type mechanism to lift floors. A handle or pump operates the screw, allowing for precision adjustments. Once the jacks are in place, they lock to provide continuous support.
Because of the unique way in which they’re installed, crawl space jacks can be more stable than traditional jacks and offer a much longer lifespan. This is especially true when paired with a drain tile system, which stops water from building up around the foundation.
In addition to the structural benefits, crawl space jacks can also help to keep pests and humidity out of your home. Keeping pests out of your crawl space is important for maintaining a healthy home and can reduce the risk of rot and mold.
If you suspect that your foundation needs repair, it’s important to have a professional inspection performed. This will allow you to address problems before they worsen and lead to more expensive repairs. During an inspection, your expert will look for sagging floors, issues with doors and windows, and other signs of a sinking foundation.
While you can attempt DIY foundation repair, it’s a project that should always be left to professionals with the right equipment and knowledge of how to do the job correctly. Attempting to lift and level your foundation without the proper tools can lead to serious injury or even death. Instead, contact a professional contractor like Bay Area Underpinning and get the service you need to protect your investment.
Helical Piers
Foundation piers and footings are the structural elements that hold up your home’s foundation, keeping it stable and secure. But sometimes, soil conditions can cause problems, leading to cracks in walls and floors or sagging foundations. Foundation repair options can help to correct these issues. Helical piers, also known as screw piles or anchors, are a great choice to stabilize concrete foundations, especially in tough soil conditions. They are installed with minimal disruption and require little excavation, so they’re a great solution for existing homes or new construction.
Like push piers, helical piers transfer your structure’s weight to load-bearing soil or bedrock, permanently stabilizing the foundation. But they differ in that they are “screwed” into the ground using a piece of mechanical equipment, rather than being driven into the ground by the structure’s weight. This allows them to be installed quickly and with less damage to surrounding soil and plants, making them ideal for lighter structures and new construction. They’re also more cost-effective than other deep foundation solutions.
A helical pier’s shaft is made from a high-strength steel alloy that can support the structure’s weight, and it’s fitted with helix plates that are welded to the end. The helix plates are designed with specific diameters to match the load capacity of the soil in which they’re being installed. Rocky soils, for example, call for smaller helix plates, while soft or sandy soils call for larger ones.
Once the helix plates are welded to the shaft, they’re screwed into the earth until a specific torque is achieved, which correlates to the pier’s bearing capacity. Once this is done, a bracket is attached to the foundation and the helical piers are ready for use.
Helical piers are built to last for decades, with some lasting more than 100 years under ideal conditions. They can be loaded immediately after they’re installed, so they don’t need time to settle, and they can be inspected with benchmarks to monitor for any signs of damage or deterioration. They’re also a great option for repairing sinking foundations, because they can lift the foundation back to its original position.