One of the most important elements of your home is the foundation. When the foundation of your home is compromised, it can cause many other problems throughout your property including landscaping damage and issues related to insect intrusion. According to ListWithClever, it is estimated that 25% of all U.S. homes will suffer structural distress like foundation damage during their lifetime, with 5% enduring major problems.
The best reaction to any issue with the foundation of your home is to consult a professional foundation repair contractor immediately.
There are some good reasons why you should be familiar with the common foundation repair methods. As a homeowner, it is important that you ensure that your foundation is in perfect order. If there is an issue with the foundation, making the decision on the most appropriate repair method to use becomes easy when you are well-informed. Also, should you be searching for a new home, you want to watch out for signs of foundation damage.
In this article, we discuss the five most common foundation repair methods. If your require additional information, please visit our website at https://cincinnatifoundationrepairandwaterproofing.com/.
Let’s Take a Look at Common Foundation Repair Methods
While there are many foundation repair methods, the following are five of the most common ones:
Slab jacking
Also known as concrete lifting, slab jacking is a technique used to lift sinking or uneven concrete. It is most suitable for minor repairs such as raising decks, steps, walkways, porches, driveways, and garage floors.
When the soil underneath a foundation shifts or collapses, the foundation will tilt or sink, creating empty spaces underneath. This kind of repair requires the service of professionals who understand the local soil, and have the right tools to repair the settling foundation.
To lift the concrete foundation, this repair technique involves the following steps:
- drilling a pattern of holes through the area that needs to be repaired
- Special equipment is used to inject a synthetic solution through the hole to fill the void and the empty slab.
- As the synthetic solution expands and fills the empty space beneath the concrete, the fallen slab is lifted back into the right level.
- The holes are then patched with a concrete mix
In comparison with other foundation repair methods, slab-jacking is quick and considerably affordable. Depending on the conditions of repair and barring extreme weather, slab jacking can be done all year round with little or no disruption to your home.
You will need the service of professional foundation repair to do the slab jacking.
Sealants and Masonry Patches
To repair patches and cracks in the foundation of your home, a waterproof masonry sealer can be used to patch and cover the crack. Because the foundation is the support of the entire house, it is important to take note of cracks as early as possible and to get them repaired immediately.
To fix minor cracks, some of the commonly used sealers include vinyl concrete, silicone, hydraulic cement, polyurethane, or epoxies. The mixture to be used will be determined by how severe the crack is.
While masonry patches or sealants can fix minor cracks, this method should not replace regular maintenance. You should also note that this method is only suitable for minor cracks and you may need to consider other methods when it comes to bigger foundation problems.
Above all, an early discovery of this problem is important. If these cracks are not fixed as soon as possible, there is a risk of water infiltration which causes further damage to the foundation.
Piering
This foundation repair method makes use of concrete or metal posts to reinforce a foundation that is failing. Push piers are made of epoxy-coated or galvanized steel pipes. Using a hydraulic ram, these steel pipes are driven into the foundation of the home.
If your home was built on expansive soils, piering can be a repair option worth considering. Some of the benefits of this foundation repair method are:
- It doesn’t require heavy equipment
- It is a low-cost procedure
- It poses little or no disruption to landscaping
It is important to note that if a piering technique is used to repair your foundation, you will need the service of a structural engineer to verify that the repair job is complete and to conduct any necessary testing. Carrying out this test will help to verify if the repaired foundation can withstand the weight of your house.
Helical Pilings
Also known as screw piles, helical pilings are a common and advanced foundation repair technique. These piles are like metal screws and are drilled to the ground through a block of wood using a hydraulic torque motor. The sinking foundation is then lifted by hydraulic jacks to the appropriate level, after which the foundation is locked into place with welded or bolted wall brackets.
Helical pilings are more suitable for lightweight pier and beam foundations, or slabs. While there are many situations where helical pilings are worth considering, they should be avoided when the strength and depth of the foundation are too much. Helical pilings can be a great option for house or foundation leveling.
One major advantage of helical pilings is that less effort is needed for their installation, and consequently, are sometimes less expensive.
Soil Injection
Also referred to as injection stabilization, this method of foundation repair involves the chemical alteration of the soil by using potassium ions. This technique is an advanced repair method that can sometimes be needed as a result of the expansive nature of the clay soil. To achieve a more stable soil zone, the clay is injected with a potassium-based chemical solution.
With this method, the possibility of the foundation of your home heaving and shifting in the future is reduced considerably. When all other foundation repair techniques prove ineffective, soil injection is an extremely effective strategy to minimize soil swelling permanently. It is also an affordable solution for excavating and replacing clay soil during construction.
The Bottom Line
While foundation problems can be frustrating, knowing the kind and magnitude of what you are dealing with gives you some comfort. You should not ignore any signs of foundation issues even if you think that it is not worthy of the attention of a professional foundation repair contractor.