Your foundation is the most important piece of your home. When placed on a solid base, your home has the support it needs to maintain its integrity and remain standing for years to come. However, a sinking foundation can lead to a multitude of damages and create an unsafe environment for yourself and family. If you begin to notice any change in your foundation it’s best to be proactive and lift your home’s foundation to avoid any escalation of damages, and ensure the stability of your foundation.
What Causes a Foundation To Sink
Soil and weather are the main causes of a sinking foundation. Over time soil moves back and forth as the weather and seasons change. As the soil moves it can start to lose its ability to support large structures. Additionally, large volumes of water can weaken foundations and cause them to sink as well. An abundance of water around your foundation can lead to erosion, bowing walls, and even result in flooding in your basement or crawlspace.
How Do We Lift a Foundation
When it comes to foundation lifting methods there are a variety of options. At Ground Up, we use both helical piers and push piers to lift your home’s foundation and keep it steady. These two types of piers are used for different circumstances as there’s no one size fits all approach to repairing a foundation.
Helical Piers
Helical piers are typically used where there is a need to resist a tension or compressive force. These screw-like piers are best used on concrete slab foundations, sinking porches, leaning chimneys, and other lighter weight structures.
How a helical pier works is by transferring the load of the structure from the unsuitable soil to a stronger, more suitable soil deeper into the ground. Instead of requiring large excavation work, they thread into the ground, minimizing installation time and requiring little soil disturbance. Most important, the weight of the structure is transferred to a more stable soil base.
Push Piers
Push piers are a primary foundation repair tool used to lift and stabilize large structure foundations. They are installed using vibration-free hydraulic equipment that is easily transportable and non-disruptive. Each steel pier is load tested to a force greater than the actual working load to ensure that they can support the weight of your structure. Much like helical piers, push piers are installed deep below your foundation where the weight of your home is transferred onto them so that your foundation doesn’t continue to sink.
The Benefits of Foundation Lifting
Aside from keeping up the integrity of your home, being proactive about lifting your foundation comes with other benefits. By lifting your foundation you can avoid future repairs that stem from a sinking foundation. Damages such as sticking doors and windows, bowing walls, and large cracks are all attributable to a sinking foundation. While some of these damages may appear miniscule they can lead to costly repairs over time. You can also improve/maintain the curb appeal of your home and give it a solid foundation for the future.
Get Your Home’s Foundation Lifted
Foundation lifting and stabilization are vastly important for the integrity of your home. When having your home lifted you want the most professional foundation repair team taking care of it. Ground Up Foundation Repair tailors the perfect solution for your home’s foundation and your budget. If you think there may be a problem with your home’s foundation, from cracks to bowing walls and anything in-between, give us a call for a free foundation inspection. We proudly serve Nashville and the surrounding areas of Middle Tennessee.