Foundation Repair Methods Review
If you have noticed a wall in your basement bowing in, basement wall cracks, or a shifting foundation, you are probably starting your foundation repair methods review. There are various reasons why a foundation may begin to settle or crack. Poor soil conditions, improper maintenance, and/or poor footing may all be factors. Consider the following information.
Foundation Reinforcement
If you have a basement wall that is bowing in with open horizontal cracks, you may be able to stabilize it from further movement or even straighten it back into its original position. Carbon fiber mesh straps can be utilized for this purpose. Fortress Stabilization has developed a system made of both carbon fiber and kevlar meshed together giving them the ultimate in tensile and shear strength. These straps are smooth to the wall and paintable making them barely noticeable. Once installed, your wall becomes stronger than it was originally and will have a lifetime structural guarantee.
Furthermore, excavation may also be required to remove the weight from the wall before the straps are applied. This removes the pressure from the soil on the outside of the house so that the wall can be straightened back into position.
Structural Piering
If the foundation is sinking and settling due to poor soil conditions, structural piers may be the best option. The Stabil-Loc Foundation Pier System is installed directly under the concrete or mason wall that needs to be lifted or stabilized. Piers are driven deep within the earth into bedrock or stable, load-bearing strata which is verifiable with load-testing. As the home is lifted, a mechanism allows the part of the piering system under the footer to be rotated. This prevents the footer from breaking, which is a feature not found anywhere else. Installation can be done quickly, with minimal excavation required. This system is designed to restabilize the sinking structure by shifting the weight of the home off of the foundation and onto the piers. This redirects the load to more reliable earth layers underground.
Foundation Replacement
If severe mortar rot is occurring or if the blocks are shifting, completely replacing the foundation may be the best solution. A single foundation wall can be replaced if it is the only area that is affected, or the entire foundation can be removed and rebuilt. There are many factors to take into consideration when deciding whether or not to replace a foundation wall.
How to Choose the Best Foundation Repair Option
So after this basic foundation repair methods review, are you starting to get an idea which of these methods would be best for your foundation issues? Just as important as the method is the foundation repair contractor. How do you know which contractor to choose? Keep in mind that there are various kinds of foundation issues, therefore, a company must be able to offer various solutions. A single solution will not work for every foundation problem. Make sure your foundation repair contractor can offer a specific solution to fit your unique problem.
We perform each of the above mentioned foundation repair options all over northeast Ohio, including the following areas:
Stark County, including Canton, Massillon, North Canton, Alliance, and Louisville.
Summit County, including Akron, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, and Barberton.
Portage County, including Kent, Ravenna, Rootstown, Streetsboro, and Atwater.
Wayne County, including Wooster, Orrville, and Dalton.
Carroll County, including Carrollton, Minerva, Delroy, and Malvern.
Tuscarawas County, including New Philadelphia, Dover, and Sugar Creek.
For a complete list of our service area click here.
Pioneer Basement Solutions has Certified Structural Evaluators on staff. We also work closely with various local structural engineers. Contact us for an evaluation of your basement and a professional foundation repair methods review.