Issues with the foundation of your house can be a severe cause for concern. You’ll need to seek professional advice immediately. A compromised foundation can lead to a host of problems. These are things that need to be addressed promptly. For example, the experts at Seepageseal can finish your crawl space if it’s the source of your house’s foundation problems.
A compromised house foundation can be a thorn in the flesh, providing the springboard for developing other problems. For example, your landscaping near the house can get damaged if the foundation has serious structural issues.
Being familiar with the basics of foundation repair goes a long way toward ensuring that you notice the early signs of damage. As a homeowner, it behooves you always to ensure that the foundation is in good shape. If your foundation begins to show signs of damage, being knowledgeable about its repair helps you decide which contractors to hire for the job. If you’re someone looking to buy a house, having an intimate knowledge of foundation repair helps you look for signs of foundation damage before you decide to purchase a house.
Foundation Repair Methods
Several foundation repair methods are employed by building experts. However, the two most common ones are slab jacking and piering.
Piering
Sometimes, the foundation of a house is still intact even though it has begun showing signs of structural failure. In such cases, piercing is the preferred repair method for such a foundation. Here, the foundation is bolstered by using either metal or concrete posts. Under this repair method, you can use push piers or helical piers.
Push piers are made of reinforced steel pipes. Usually, these steel pipes are galvanized or coated with a substance like epoxy. A hydraulic ram is then used to embed them into the foundation.
Helical piers are more suitable for sinking foundations. They are akin to big screws. They are made of steel and are drilled deep into the ground using a hydraulic torque motor. After the helical piers have been firmly anchored in place, hydraulic jacks are used to raise the foundation to the correct level, after which it is locked into place by wall brackets.
While piering might seem like an easy method for foundation repair, it always requires the final approval of a structural engineer. Sometimes, the damage to the foundation may be so extensive that piering alone may not be adequate to restore the foundation’s structural integrity and load-bearing capacity. Piering is a cheap foundation repair method because it doesn’t require the use of heavy equipment. Also, there is minimal damage to the surrounding landscaping.
Piering is the ideal method for foundation repair of structures erected on expansive soils.
Slabjacking
For houses constructed on concrete slabs, slab jacking is the method of foundation repair, hence its other name, concrete lifting. During the slab jacking repair,
i) several holes are drilled at specific foundation areas that need repair.
ii) A specialized construction concoction, much like grout, is poured into the drilled holes and under the slab using special equipment.
iii) The synthetic concoction fills up the concrete space beneath the slab, raising it to the same level as the surrounding concrete.
iv) A concrete mixture is used to fill and patch the holes.
Think of slab jacking as a rough and dirty repair method; it’s a quick and cheap but effective method for foundation repair. This repair method can be carried out almost year-round unless there is extreme weather like heavy snowfall. Also, it barely damages the landscaping of the house or the yard.
Slabjacking is not only ideal for the repair of house foundations but also other structures with concrete slabs like driveways and walkways.
Which Foundation Repair Method is Better?
Of course, there are other foundation repair methods, like using sealants and masonry patches. However, slab jacking and piering are more common.
The question of which one is better largely depends on several factors. For example, one contractor may prefer slab jacking over piering. Also, the type of house foundation to be repaired and how much damage the foundation has sustained will determine which repair method is suitable.
Ultimately, your foundation is crucial to the longevity of your house (or any structure). Ensuring that it doesn’t sustain significant damage means regular inspections and repairs when necessary. Whichever contractor you hire will determine which kind of foundation repair will produce the best outcome, all factors considered.
