What is the Best Foundation Repair Method

Understand the Foundation Repair Options

If your home seems to have cracks here and there, leaning walls, or experiencing settling foundations - it's important not to ignore the signs and fix them as soon as possible. Noticing foundation problems or extreme settling and not repairing them early enough can lead to bigger repair costs in further. 

In this blog, we're going to share the 8 best foundation repair methods to help you get your home in a solid and safe place again. Keep on reading to know!

What is Foundation Repair?

Foundation repair aims to address and repair the building's cracks, damages, and settled conditions to give the home’s foundation its stability and solidity back. Foundation repair is a process and is done by professional repairers. 

There are many types of methods out there to repair a building's foundations. Each of them has its unique approaches and actions to get your home in solid shape again. You'll want to choose the type that matches the soil type, foundation build, and climate of your house. 

8 Best Foundation Repair Methods

There are so many ways to treat a damaged foundation. Some of the common methods are:

Slabjacking

Slabjacking, traditionally referred to as mudjacking, is an effective way to fix uneven concrete slabs in order to prevent foundation concrete from sinking. It is an alternative and cost-effective way to fix and level the slab without breaking the concrete and completely replacing them. 

In the slab jacking process, small holes are made by drilling the sunken slab and then pumping some specialized mixtures through the holes. It fills the gaps and exerts the pressure beneath the slab, and helps it get back to its original level. The mixtures are basically water, cement, sand, or other solid materials.

Steel Piers

In the steel piers method, galvanized steel piers are installed beneath the building's foundation with the help of a hydraulic ram. It's the best and perfect solution for stabilizing your home's foundation for longer times. 

The steel piers are driven into the ground with a hydraulic jack beneath the foundation until it reaches the stable soil. Steel piers are very strong and can be driven up to 100 feet to give your home's foundation solid support.

Helical Piers

Helical Piers are basically steel piers made with galvanized steel, with a helically shaped leading point. When the pier is used, the helically shaped leading point is twisted and drilled into the slab foundations. 

They are driven until the piers meet the stable surface. 

The helical pier method is used when the soil is too difficult to bore using any other methods. The helical shapes help the piers to places perfectly where the other types of methods might not be able to perform better. 

Concrete Piles

Concrete piles are another effective way of providing stability to your building's foundation to avoid sinking or settlement. The piles are basically made from concrete and drilled through the deep cylindrical holes below the foundation into solid soil. 

Concrete piles are a very good alternative to steel piers and provide great support to the structures. 

Poured Concrete Piers

In poured concrete piers, the contractors dig a deep hole below the foundation. Then they pour high-strength wet concrete mixtures into the holes, which then support the building foundation to bear the overall building's weight. 

The poured concrete piers are a cost-effective solution for the settled foundations and are useful in different soil conditions.

Spot Piers

Spot piers or footings are a very common foundation repair technique where the foundations of one specific section need additional support. This method is especially suitable for light-loaded areas, such as your home's porch or deck.   

The sport piers are performed by hand-digging below the specific site, where the foundation needs stable support or where the settlement has occurred. The spot pier process involves making shallow holes beneath the targeted area and filling the holes with concrete. 

Segmented Piers

Segmented Piers is cheaper than other methods, which are small cylindrical concrete tubes that get driven below the foundation soil. They provide great support to the foundation and prevent the building from being settled. 

Segmented Piers are comparatively cheap, and instead of being a relatively new repayment method, they are liked by many homeowners.

Polyurethane Foam Jacking

Polyurethane Foam Jacking, aka polyjacking, is another foundation repair technique, perfect for emergency settlement repairs. This method is used for filling the voids that have been created due to soil erosion. 

In polyurethane foam injection, contractors drill holes into the concrete slab and inject the liquid polyurethane foam, which further hardens and fills the holes. There are 10 different types of foams used for foundation repair, including RR501 and FS201.

Signs of Commercial Foundation Problems

Some of the common signs of commercial foundation problems include:

●      Cracks in ceilings and walls

●      Structural shifting of the building

●      Uneven floors

●      Water leakage around the foundation

●      Excessive soil erosion around the building

●      Water leakage around the building

●      Foundation sinking

●      Windows and doors that don't open and close properly

●      Excessive moisture in the basement

As you can see, there are many foundation settlement solutions out there. Some methods will provide you with short-term solutions, and some will provide long-term. Some methods are relatively cheap and best for small fixes, and some methods are costly but have a better chance of providing the best solution for your foundation settlement problem. 

Consult with a professional foundation repair contractor to assess your building's situation and see which method will be best suited for your needs.