Foundation Repair

Typically caused by unstable soil or erosion, or if the home was built on looser fill dirt which settles over time, foundation problems should be addressed immediately once discovered. If one area under the house settles more quickly than another, pressure and compression in the foundation and structure can result in foundation and internal wall cracking, or the sinking, buckling, or leaning of walls. Water erosion – ground water, plumbing-related flooding or storm water– can also compound these issues.

Fixing the Problem

Installing underpinning beneath the foundation of the home to support the weight of the structure is the most common solution. The first step to underpinning is to dig access holes around the inside or outside perimeter of the house to expose the footing. These holes are then used to set up a mold and pour solid concrete with reinforcement under the footing of the foundation.This can then stop the foundation from sinking.

Installing steel piers under the foundation is another typical solution. Common types of piers are helical piers and resistance/push piers. Helical piers are shaped like large screws.  A hydraulic system gradually screws them into the earth below the house until they reach load-bearing soil or bedrock. The use of special tools then shifts the weight of the house onto the helical piers and off the fill dirt. Resistance or push piers are also driven into the earth under the house until they hit load-bearing soil or bedrock. Plates are then affixed to the top of the piers so that home’s weight can be shifted onto the plates and off the fill dirt.

Basement Walls

The natural pressure of the external earth on a wall can negatively impact basement and retaining walls over time. The detection of a cracked, leaning or bowed wall indicates that the wall cannot adequately support the weight above it, therefore the issue should be addressed immediately.

A typical resolution is the use of carbon strips. These strips are affixed to a bowed wall vertically to prevent further inward movement.

The use of wall pins or struts, the preferred method for masonry and block walls, involves inserting rebar into carefully chosen block openings and feeding the rebar down to the footing. Concrete is poured into the openings creating a solid, reinforced pillar.

Steel I-beams are installed vertically to add the essential support for acutely bowed interior walls. The beams can be set into the exposed footing below the floor, or they may be bolted to the floor slab. The tops of the beams are bolted to braces in the ceiling joist, and dry packing or concrete is then installed above and below the point where the wall reaches the beam.

Tiebacks or wall anchors can be installed through the wall and into the earth to force the wall back into place vertically.

It is imperative to work with a good contractor who can guide you to the best choice to correct any foundation or wall issues you may have.