​Pier and Beam Repair
Not all foundations are slabs. Some homes and buildings have what is called a pier and beam foundation. Think of something along the lines of how a dock looks. They are great alternatives for foundations and allow for a utility crawl space under your home. As well, pier and beam foundations can be cheaper in cost than your traditional slab based foundations with a basement. Which is why they are often used by many first time homeowners and builders alike. However, when they are not done correctly, they can also lead to many problems as well. If you have a pier and beam foundation that is experiencing any issues, please let us know today to come on down and fix it for you.
Problems That Can Arise
Several factors can cause damage to your pier and beam foundations. Some of these things should be easily preventable with proper care and construction, while others are just a fact of life. Those issues can be the underlying soil, inappropriate construction, or improper drainage.
Underlying Soil
When you are always dealing with seasonal moisture that can cause issues with your foundations. This issue can become even worse if you happen to have a soil bed of mostly clay as it allows for higher absorption of moisture. When clay gets too wet, it wants to shift and a large house above it will more than willing cause this to happen.
Inappropriate Construction
One of the materials often used for the pier is cedar. This reason is because cedar is rot resistant and robust. However. You are limited when it comes to the surface area since it is a natural tree when compared to concrete, which can be made to any size. That is why cedar is only suitable for small structures. Also, cedar is only rot-resistant, not rot-proof. Over, time even it will begin to show signs of rot, especially at the soil underneath, and in turn, causing failure to your foundation.
Improper Drainage
Water can be so damaging to any foundation. Water can affect the soil as we mentioned above but also if it is not allowed to drain and can pool up and prevent proper ventilation. Which will lead to mold and rotting.
How To Fix The Issues
There are several ways to handle the problems plaguing your foundation. If the piers are not enough to give enough surface area, then we can add more piers to distribute a load of your building better.
Another possible solution is by using what we can sonotubes alternatively, as they are also known as with concrete columns. These sonotubes are concrete forms that we insert around areas that are slopping or having cracking problems. This fix creates a permanent fix to any of your foundation problems.
Finally, if drainage is the issue, we explain that more thoroughly on the drainage repair page. So please have a look there to find out more.
No matter what is plaguing your pier and beam foundation if you have an issue, we can fix it as your local foundation repair specialist. Please call us today to find out more.
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