Foundation repair methods | Best ways to repair a faulty foundation
The foundation serves a major role in your home; it supports your walls and the weight of the rest of the building. That's what makes it a very important part of the home. The foundation maintains the structural integrity of the house and keeps it from tumbling down. Problems with foundations need to be taken care of with immediate attention. Some signs that your foundation is faulty include cracks on walls or bulging floors. The good news is that you don't have to destroy the foundation and start repairing it from scratch. Various techniques can be used to provide the best of foundations. Here are some of the best techniques.
Underpinning
This is one of the most effective methods of repairing faulty foundations. You can also use underpinning if you're planning on adding extra storeys to your building. How this technique works is simple. The building's load and weight are transferred to installed structural elements. Normally, concrete or steel structures are placed underneath the ground and connected with deeper and more stable strata beneath the earth. This adds more strength to the foundation. The best part about this technique is that it's a lot more economical and produces less noise and vibration.
Slabjacking
If you find that your concrete keeps on sinking gradually into the earth, then it's possible that your house was built on poor soils. Weak soils generally compact whenever a heavy load is placed on them, so if the builder failed to compress the soils, then the sinking occurs. However, the problem could also be due to erosion occurring below the ground.
Slabjacking is a technique that aims to return the concrete back to its original position. It works by pumping a mixture of cement, sand and ash beneath the concrete till it gets back to a level position. The process is fast and leaves a solid base. However, it's not effective when the weak soils are too deep.
Retaining walls
Another fix for faulty foundations is erecting retaining walls. Retaining walls are usually constructed to prevent the movement of soils and water flow. If soil or water movement are weakening your foundation, then retaining walls would be a huge help. Erecting a retaining wall just outside your walls goes a long way in protecting the home's foundation. As a plus, retaining walls can be made to improve the aesthetics of your home too. You can place a garden beside the walls to improve your landscape. With this technique, you may not even have to do any excavation.