What is foundation repair?
The term foundation repair is a nightmare for every home or property owner. Foundation repair arises when the very foundation of a home, building, or structure is damaged and needs to be repaired. The foundation needs repair often when the core structure of the building is damaged or if the concrete is in distress.
What causes foundation damage?
Water is often the most common reason for foundation damage. Movements start happening in the foundation of a structure when the soil components begin to either swell or shrink due to the presence of moisture. Damages may also occur when the area around the foundation has inadequate drainage facilities. When there is a plumbing leak below the structure or if the structure has been damaged by disasters like earthquakes, flood or droughts, this also leads to damage to the foundation. When soil is high in clay content, then also it becomes prone to damage to the foundation.
Effects of foundation damage
Foundation damage is a serious issue and has many consequences such as damage of infrastructure, loss of value in real estate context, malfunctions of the equipment, cracks, etc. Foundation damage can also make a building or home extremely unsafe for accommodation.
Symptoms of foundation damage
- Cracked bricks
- Cracked foundation
- Cracked walls
- Cracked floors
- Uneven floors
- Bulging floors
- Separation around windows or walls
- Misaligned doors and windows
- Sticking doors
Types of foundation repair
The options for foundation repair depend on various factors like geographic area, site conditions, etc. Bay crawlspace has many networks and professionals working towards fixing foundation repair problems. Listed below are 6 popular types of foundation repair.
- Slab jacking
Slab jacking is a specialist technology of repairing concrete in which any sunken piece of a concrete slab is lifted by pumping some substance through the concrete, which effectively lifts it. Polyurethane foam is the most commonly used substance. Access holes are drilled into the concrete, and any void space is then filled. The reason why it is the most popular method of foundation repair is that it has many admirable advantages in terms of cost savings, timeliness, and its aesthetic.
- Steel piering
This refers to the process of driving many pilings of steel pipes to correct the settlement of the foundation. In cases when the structure tends to come in a downward motion, steel piering is commonly used. A hydraulic lifting system is put into use along with the steel piers to lift the foundation and correct its elevation, thus making it stable.
- High-density polyurethane foam
This is the most simple process in repairing slabs. The foam is injected into a checkerboard grid into the affected area.
- Sealant repairs
Sealant repairs are the most typical way of fixing damaged foundations quite easily. Sealant repairs usually consist of caulking or filling in with hydraulic cement.
- Helical tieback anchors
Helical tieback anchors are used to repairing walls that are bowing or leaning. They are attached in the interior portion of the wall, and then the wall is straightened by applying tension.
- Spot piers
These piers are filled with concrete and are usually hand-dug and very shallow. These are excellent at repairing foundations in areas that are light loaded.
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