Foundation repairs involve locating and correcting the source of pressure and stresses that cause damage to weight-bearing structures, floors, doors, and windows. When that has been done, it is often necessary to level the walls and floors in a house to ensure that it has a sturdy base that stands the test of time after the sources of damage have been remedied. A level house can properly distribute its weight load evenly and as designed across its entire foundation. That greatly mitigates the risk of building damage or failure in areas under extreme pressure.
Conventionally designed and constructed homes ordinarily experience some settling during their lifetime, and settling does not occur evenly across the entire width and depth of a home’s foundation.
Settling occurs because of changes in water table levels, shifting drainage and erosion patterns, and compression of “expansive” soil.
When settling and shifting occur, the cumulative effect of out-of-place weight distribution sometimes creates extreme tension and pressure above design tolerances. There are cases where floors become noticeably out of level, cracked foundation bricks or blocks, drywall cracks, or doors or windows that no longer open or close correctly. In these cases, the chances are substantial that damage from uneven settling has already started to occur. Once evidence of an unlevel house is apparent, you need an expert professional inspection to assess the cause and extent of the trouble to understand your best options for repair and remediation.
Professional leveling techniques are available for various home foundations, including concrete slabs and traditional crawl space foundation designs.
A standard part of home-level work involves shoring load-bearing walls and foundation structures. Shoring requires the placement of support beams or piers in place to prevent collapse or additional damage so that leveling and other repairs can be performed. Shoring commonly requires some soil excavation from around the foundations’ exterior so experts can put supports in place.
When new piers are necessary to elevate and support sunken walls or flooring, underpinning in areas that have lost stability effectively creates a new base that can last years into the future. We use the Stabilipier™ Foundation Repair System when placing piers underneath existing foundation structures for that type of work. The system uses steel cores that our professionals can drive to the needed depth to contact dense and stable soil, even in compact areas under existing houses. The depth and stability of the Stabilipier system promote leveling and provide new life for the foundation of even older homes. We also provide concrete lifting services when needed.
