Archive for category Foundation

Methods Of Foundation Repair

Foundation repair companies use a variety of corrective methods in order to fix a foundation – and the best method can only be determined once the foundation repair service has had a look at the house and sees what is causing the problem.

Below is a look at the six major methods used in foundation repair. These are not DIY projects – a professional foundation repair service should be contacted and consulted if there are problems with a foundation. A qualified foundation repair company can come in, inspect the foundation, and decide what the most cost-effective, lasting solution will be for the home.

Concrete Piers

This method of foundation repair is designed to last as long as a concrete foundation does. These are concrete columns that are poured into drilled holes in the ground to support the foundation. If the piers need to be placed outside the house, the process is quite simple and cost-effective.

Concrete Pilings

Similar to piers, concrete pilings are ready-made concrete columns that are placed underneath the foundation rather than poured in. They take half the time of piers, and last as long as the foundation will. This solution can result in a cost-savings over steel pilings.

Steel Pilings

This is the same concept as concrete pilings, but with steel. Steel, of course, is less apt to erosion and wear problems that are sometimes seen with concrete. However, this is a more expensive alternative to concrete, and is not always an option, as it may not be appropriate to place the pilings underneath the foundation. In that case, concrete piers will be used.

Mudjacking/Slabjacking

This method, using concrete (AKA “mud”) or polyurethane resin, pumps the material underneath the foundation to lift it back to its proper space. This is especially used for foundations that have succumbed to sink holes and severe erosion problems.

Soil/Chemical Injection

Potassium ions and ammonium salts are water-soluble chemicals that are non-toxic, and prevent surrounding soil from absorbing water. By doing so, soil will be prevented from swelling and tilting the foundation. This is best used for minor foundational problems where lifting is no more than 1.5 inches.

Root Barriers

When roots from trees and plants begin to push and move a foundation, it’s time to put in root barriers to keep damage from going too far. Mostly solid objects and sheet material is used to prevent the roots on a property from growing into the foundation. They will be stopped by the barrier, and grow in the opposite direction or adjacent to the barrier.

These six methods of foundation repair, provided by a reliable foundation repair contractor, can help save a home from severe damage, and prevent further damage from occurring. Early detection of foundation problems can save homeowners thousands of dollars, and contacting a trustworthy foundation repair company can save even more through finding the most cost-effective solution for any foundational problem.

 

Foundation Failure – Possible Causes

There are many reasons that foundations can fail – anything that causes a foundation to move can have a detrimental affect on it. Lateral pressure, and differential settlement (over total settlement), are two major categories of foundation failure, and are what cause homeowners to call in the foundation repair service.

Rather than focus on foundation failures, focusing on the causes of these failures is important. Knowing what to watch out for can help save a homeowner time and money, by knowing when to check the foundation for potential failure. There are several major causes of foundation failure – when these things happen around the home, it’s a good idea to check for any foundation cracks, holes, and uneven settlement.

Changes in Soil

Heavy rains can cause soil to swell, and, if not properly draining, can cause pressure on the foundation walls. After a time, the walls can start to crack, especially if drainage is not adequate – this is both a problem of erosion and hydrostatic pressure (from the weight of the water in the soil, pushing up against the foundation).

Wet soil is a major problem, but it’s not the only problem – drying soil, and drought-impacted soil can cause problems as well. When the soil gets too dry, it shrinks, and causes the foundation to shift back against it. This movement in the foundation can also cause cracks and shifts and lead to failure.

Frost Heaves

When the ground freezes in the winter, water beneath the soil becomes ice. The ice crystal growth causes the ground to shift, making “heaves” all over the landscape. Should this occur near, or under a foundation, it can cause a differential shift, causing the foundation to fail.

Erosion

Soil erosion from problematic plumbing, improper drainage, heavy rain, spring thaw, and the like can pull away at foundation walls, causing shifts, cracks, and foundation failure. Another problem that leads to erosion is improper ground preparation during construction. If not enough soil is used, or it is not packed properly, erosion can happen quickly around the foundation.

Vibrational Changes

Vibrational changes don’t need to be as dramatic as earthquakes in order to have an impact on foundation failure. Neighboring construction projects can cause enough vibrations to shake nearby foundations and the surrounding soil, causing failure.

Periodic inspections of the foundation walls and area are necessary to stay on top of any changes that can cause foundation failure. Even houses with the best drainage systems can fall prey to heavy rains and other causes listed above, which, if not handled early, can cost thousands to repair.

Prevention is always the best way to keep foundation failure from occurring. However, that is not always realistic. In that case, early detection is a must. A reliable foundation repair service can not only help homeowners spot these problems early, but fix them securely and help prevent repeat occurrences of such problems.

Choosing the Best Foundation Contractor

Whenever a homeowner faces the task of choosing a repair contractor for a service he has never needed before, how can he make a right choice? A slick presentation is not a criterion. But what is? How can he be as wise as possible in selecting one?

There very few foundation contractors that can handle settlement issues. Their business should be credible more than beautiful. But how can you tell?

Check for Licenses and Insurance

One doesn’t need a license to repair foundations. But a builder’s license is a good start in the right direction. Ask for it. It’s important to assure yourself that the contractor has workman’s compensation insurance. If not, and one of his employees gets hurt on the job, the liability for the incident could be your responsibility as the homeowner. Be sure that liability and workman’s comp coverage is in place.

Check with BBB

Call the Better Business Bureau. Check the complaints, if any, along with the frequency of complaints, types of issues, and whether the contractor responded promptly and credibly. Almost every business over time will have a complaint or two along the way. Study the pattern.

Verify the Contractor’s Experience

Ask about experience. Everyone has the right to try a business, but you’re not obligated to be a test case. Ask for customer references. Its even better if you can find others besides the ones he presents to you. Sometimes a quick Google Places search or visit to Yahoo! Local can give you some insight.

Ask an Engineer

Foundations are the most important element in the structure of your house. Often engineers get involved. They know who is out there doing quality repair work. They know the good ones and the other ones. They are a great resource to identify the better, or ever the best, contractors for your needs.

Check into their Repair Products

Is the contractor a supplier of a manufacturing pier company that designs and thoroughly tests their product? There are contractors that build piers at a job shop where there’s no testing, no assurance of quality materials, no certified welders, and no adequate design parameters. Get a properly manufactured pier.

Is the contractor a verifiably certified installer of the proven name brand pier? Credible suppliers certify and test their installers. You need one that, at least and preferably surpassed, all company requirements.

Does the supplier have a proven product, one that meets independent standards and codes? Will the product do what the installer and manufacturer says it will do? How can you know?

As of now, there is only one national standard for reliability. It was established in 2007 and called the ICCES AC358 Acceptance Criteria for Helical Foundation Systems and Devices. It is a rigorous, independent study that assures that you are getting exactly what the manufacturer claims. It can’t be over sold or misrepresented. Either you have it or you don’t.

Any contractor that can pass these criteria is not a “fly-by-night” operator and is worthy of your business.

 

Advantages, Limitations and Misconceptions About Poured Concrete Foundations

Concrete is truly an amazing material. In terms of building foundations, it’s a vast improvement over the materials and methods that came before -like foundations made from stone, brick and cinder block. But there are some misconceptions about concrete that often confuse homeowners when they encounter foundation problems. Let’s try to clear up some of this confusion.

“Cement” isn’t the same as “concrete.”

These terms are often used interchangeably, even among building professionals. But concrete and cement are not the same thing. Cement -or to be more accurate, Portland cement– is actually an ingredient in concrete. Although additives are sometimes used to alter handling, curing or strength characteristics, the basic ingredients of concrete never change:

Concrete ingredients by volume:

7%-15% Portland cement

8% or less Air

60%-75% Coarse & fine aggregates (gravel & sand)

14%-21% Water

Reinforced concrete can still crack, crumble, shift and settle

Steel reinforcing bars (commonly known as “rebar”) are used to reinforce poured concrete footings and walls. Concrete slabs are reinforced with rebar and with welded wire mesh. Fibers are sometimes mixed into poured concrete to increase its strength as well. These reinforcement techniques are often required by code, and make poured concrete stronger than unreinforced concrete. But even reinforced concrete can crack, shift and settle if soil conditions impose lateral loads on walls and vertical loads on poorly supported slabs. Concrete has exceptional compressive strength but poor tensile strength. In other words, it can’t bend or stretch. If the soil beneath a concrete slab settles, creating a void, the slab can’t flex downward to follow the contour of the recess. Instead, a section of the slab is likely to crack and sink. Likewise, expansive soil that pushes in on a foundation wall can eventually cause the wall to crack, simply because the concrete can’t flex like a wood-framed wall can.

Concrete absorbs and releases moisture

A bowl, basement or swimming pool made from concrete will hold water, but that doesn’t make the concrete waterproof. In fact, concrete has a sponge-like ability to absorb and release water. As the soil outside a concrete foundation becomes more and more saturated with water, the foundation will also become saturated. Some of this moisture will make its way inside the foundation, either leaking in through cracks or simply making the basement or crawl space damp and humid. Proper waterproofing and (in some cases) dehumidification strategies are necessary to keep basements and crawl spaces dry.

Concrete crack repair isn’t effective if crack causes aren’t addressed

Modern epoxies and patching mortar compounds do an excellent job of filling and sealing cracks. But if the soil conditions that caused the concrete to crack in the first place aren’t corrected, even the best crack repair will eventually fail. That’s why it’s smart to have an experienced foundation repair contractor inspect a damaged foundation before going ahead with repair work. If cracks were caused by expansive soil, soil settlement or soil with poor load-bearing qualities, then these problems will need to be corrected in order to ensure a permanent repair.

Solving Problems Affiliated With Retaining Walls

Retaining walls almost always enhance a property’s value and functionality, whether they’re used in residential or commercial settings. On a steep site that wouldn’t normally be suitable for development, one or more retaining walls can be used to create level areas where building lots, driveways and parking areas can be located. A retaining wall can improve a home’s living space and real estate value by creating space for a walkout basement.

Walls vary in size, shape and materials used for construction

Retaining walls come in all shapes and sizes. They can be straight or curved, with exposed faces that are vertical or tilted back into the earth. Massive versions are sometimes used to separate divided highways. On the opposite end of the spectrum, shorter walls are just a foot or two high, are often used as landscaping elements, creating garden spaces, sheltered alcoves and visual variety.

Just as they vary in size and shape, they can also differ because of the materials used to build them. Railroad or “landscape” ties enable people to construct these walls from wood. Short walls are often fashioned from native stone. A wide variety of modular concrete blocks are available specifically for retaining wall construction. These systems typically involve interlocking blocks designed to improve the overall strength of the completed wall. Standard CMU (concrete masonry unit) block retaining walls can also be found, often constructed by do-it-yourselfers. Poured concrete retaining walls are built using techniques very similar to those used for poured concrete foundation walls.

Common structural issues can compromise value and safety

The value of these walls -functional, aesthetic and property-enhancing-is significantly compromised when it starts to fail. Failure can take several forms. Models made from wood ties start to fail when the wood deteriorates because of rot. Masonry retaining walls start to fail as cracks develop, as individual blocks shift or fall out of place, or as the wall bows or tilts toward the ground, threatening to topple.

Retaining wall problems should always be addressed as soon as possible for two reasons. First of all, once a problem develops, it will only worsen over time, usually becoming more expensive to correct. Secondly, a weakened wall can pose a safety problem, since complete failure of a wall can release tons of soil onto people, pets and property.

Foundation repair contractors can also handle retaining wall repairs

Many people don’t realize they can call a foundation repair contractor for help repairing retaining walls. They resemble foundation walls, and damage typically occurs because of the same factors: pressure from expansive or wet soil, improper drainage, soil erosion or settlement, and construction defects. They can also fail because the root systems of trees and shrubs disrupt joints between blocks, landscape ties or stones.

Sometimes a failed retaining wall can only be repaired by dismantling and reconstructing the wall, or at least the damaged section. But an experienced foundation repair contractor may be able to avoid this costly work using specialized wall anchors and the same repair techniques that correct bowing, cracking and tilting foundation walls.

The repair involves driving or anchoring strong steel rods or anchors through a tilting or cracked fixture and into the soil behind the wall. Then the contractor uses the anchors or rods along with steel clamping plates and oversized nuts, to exert clamping pressure against the wall, pulling it back into its original position.

It may also be necessary to improve drainage and correct other issues that initially caused the damage. The wall anchor repair technique is an effective way to fix many of these problems without resorting to more extensive destruction and reconstruction strategies.