What Methods Will Contractors Use To Repair Your Foundation?

If your foundation has been showing signs of trouble, such as leaks and cracks, then you will want to contact a foundation repair contractor. They can figure out exactly what is wrong with your foundation and then devise a plan to address the problem. Here is a look at four different methods they might use, either alone or in conjunction, to fix your foundation.

Installing Steel Piers

One option might be to install some new piers, made from steel, in order to give your foundation more support. These piers can typically be inserted without having to make substantial changes to the interior of your home. Your landscaping may be disturbed a little, but that's pretty easy to fix. Basically, the piers will support more of the weight of your home so the foundation itself does not have to support that weight. This will prevent any cracks in the foundation from worsening over time.

High-Density Foam Reinforcement

Another option is for the repair team to drill out certain damaged areas of the foundation and then inject high-density polyurethane foam in those areas. This foam is similar to that which is being used as insulation, but it is much more dense and able to support more weight. Since it expands to fully fill the space it is placed within, it does a good job of sealing leaky areas, making it a good choice when your foundation issues cause more worry of water infiltration than a lack of structural integrity.

Underpinning

Underpinning is a repair that may be recommended if part of your foundation is sinking too far into the ground. It involves lifting part of the foundation and then inserting some material, usually either concrete or a high-density foam, under the previously sunken part of the foundation. This will even out the home and hopefully help keep it from sinking any further.

Slabjacking

This is another method used to raise a concrete slab foundation that is beginning to sink. The contractor will drill some holes that extend all of the way through the concrete flooring. Then, they will insert a solution into and under these holes, applying pressure as they do. The pressure of the solution causes the foundation to rise. The access holes are then patched with concrete.

Which one of these methods is best for your home? That really depends on how your home is built and what kind of damage has happened to your foundation. Consult with a foundation repair contractor for more answers.

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