When you hear the word repair the natural thought is fixing something that is broken. By that measure, foundation repair would focus on repairing cracks and other damage to the foundation. While fixing foundation cracks is helpful, there is a reason why the most important part of the foundation repair process in most cases is foundation leveling.
If you look at foundation problems as a disease, filling wall or floor cracks is treating a symptom. Foundation leveling, also known as foundation lifting, gets rid of the disease and, if done well, ensures it never returns.
Why Do Homes Need Foundation Leveling?
We can’t solve EVERY foundation problem with foundation leveling. Construction mistakes or, in the case of pier and beam homes, water or termite damage could leave a foundation structurally deficient for other reasons.
In most cases, however, the leveling process is crucial to halting foundation problems and providing the home’s base stability long into the future.
The problems usually stem from the soil beneath the foundation.
- Improperly compacted soil.
- Soil with extreme shrink-swell cycles.
- Voids caused by anything from erosion to decaying roots.
Any of these problems can cause the house to settle in those areas. And when it settles, chances are it won’t settle evenly.
When uneven settlement occurs, it places significant stress on the foundation. As some areas begin to sink while others still receive proper support, cracks in the floors and walls will emerge. The alignment of any openings in your home will shift slightly, causing doors and windows to stick. This same force can also lead to crack emanating from doorframes and windows. Chimneys even may begin to tilt relative to the house.
Since all of these problems are caused by the house no longer being level, foundation leveling is a key part of repairing the underlying problem.
How We Level Foundations
There are multiple ways to level a home’s foundation. The key is choosing one that levels it permanently. When it comes to your foundation, a short term fix does little good.
That is why, outside of pier and beam repair, we use a piering system to repair foundations. We sink the piers into the ground under the footings of the home until they reach bedrock or layer of soil sufficiently strong to support the house without it again starting to settle. The settling portion of the foundation is hydraulically lifted back to level. We then transfer the weight of the home onto the piers, which can offer it the support that the underlying soil couldn’t.
Most piers are made out of either steel or concrete. At Pierman, however, we have chosen a method that combines the strength of both. Using steel around an internal concrete core, our system provides a tested and proven superior strength and resistance.
With our Utility Pier System, your foundation will not only be level on the day of installation, it will remain level.
We Level Foundations in Oklahoma City, Ada & Much of the Rest of Oklahoma
At Pierman, we are foundation repair experts. Our skilled technicians will ensure that we not only level your foundation but that it stays level. Contact us today for a free estimate.
