Three Repairs To Address Problems With A Settling Foundation And Excessive Loads
If the foundation of your home is sinking, doors can become out of square, drywall can crack and other problems may be obvious. If you have some of these problems in your home, this may be a sign of major foundation problems. This is often due to things like inadequate footings, soil problems and other things related to structural loads. These things can be fixed by a concrete repair contractor using various different techniques. Here are three methods of repairing problems with a sinking foundation:
1. Installing Piers Under Foundation Beams
The foundation of your home has reinforced concrete beams, which carry the load of your home. When the foundation begins to sink, these beams sink in the soil. A solution to this problem is to have piers driven beneath the beams until they reach a solid surface. These piers will support the load of your home once the beams have been jacked up. This is a simple and affordable solution for many homes that are built on concrete slabs and have sinking foundation beams.
2. Foundation Jacks And Footing Repairs
Foundation or floor jacks are another type of pier system that can be used to support a sinking foundation. These are commonly used on homes with crawlspace foundations, and can be used in combination with other pier systems on the exterior of the foundation. These are adjustable steel jacks that can be placed under the floor beams, where new footings with piers can support the weight of your home and prevent the settling problems that are causing damage.
3. Tensioned Concrete For Poor Soils
Tensioned concrete is a solution that can be used in areas where the soil quality is poor. This is often in low areas where lot of backfill was used during development. The contractor will install new footing beams and steel cables. These cables will have tension applied to them, which will create a unified foundation that will settle evenly. This can prevent problems from one area of your home settling more than another does, and prevent many of the problems with a settling foundation on poor soil.
These are some of the things that you will want to consider when you are having problems with the foundation of your home. If you need to have some of these repairs done, contact a concrete repair contractor like D & R Masonry Restoration, Inc. to solve the problem and prevent any more damage to your home.