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The minute homeowners realize that their home’s foundation is in distress they need to get it repaired ASAP to avoid major structural damages. A couple of decades ago, the only foundation repair method that existed was the use of concrete but all this has changed now. Foundation repair methods vary greatly depending on two things:
- The geographic location
- The site conditions
Foundation issues are quite scary and a lot of people do not know how to go about this issue. These issues mostly arise after the foundation has settled unevenly. More than half of the houses that are built on expansive soil suffer from foundation distress. How can someone tell that their foundation needs repair? There are several signs that one can look out for:
- Wall rotation
- Uneven floors
- Cracked bricks
- Cracks on the floor
- Displaced moldings
- Cracked/broken foundation
- Misaligned windows and doors
- Separation around the garage door or windows
Foundation repair methods
Here are some of the most common methods that are used nowadays to repair foundations:
- Steel piers
The discovery of steel piers revolutionized the foundation repair process. These take a shorter time and cause minimal disturbance to the landscape as opposed to traditional concrete piers. Thanks to technological advancements, these have become more technical and their installation is data-driven.
- Helical piers
These piers work really great when it comes to exterior foundation repair as well as interior slab repairs. Helical piers are the most versatile and underused pier in the market and are very useful for new construction.
Some great matches for helical piers include light-loaded areas such as porch columns or structures with vinyl siding.
- Concrete piers
Pour-in-place concrete piers are the most commonly used especially in the preconstruction phase. Concrete piers may also be used for repairs as they offer a very permanent way to repair foundations.
The challenges involved with concrete piers are that the process is costly and a lot of dirt has to be dug from the holes for the piers. This makes the cleanup process quite difficult.
- Segmented piers
This new entrant may be categorized as a price-driven foundation repair product. Segmented piers’ main merit is the low price.
- Spot piers
These are shallow, hand-dug piers that get filled with concrete. Spot piers offer a great option for repairing foundation in light-loaded areas such as porches.
- High-density polyurethane foam
While using this technique, foundation repair technicians inject foam in a checkerboard grid that is about 6ft on center in the affected area. This repair method has become a real marketplace-driven product due to the attractive price and speed that it offers.
Conclusion
Once homeowners start noticing the above-mentioned signs that point to a foundation in distress, they need to start looking at the repair options that they have. But before they can decide on which repair method to use, they should first determine the cause for the distress. The type of foundation repair method that will be used depends on the soil type, climate of the area, the foundation build, and the extent of the damage.
