If you’ve noticed cracks in your home and are now worried about your home’s structural integrity, don’t panic. Explore this blog to find out what to do if your house’s foundation is sinking.
Is Your Foundation Sinking?
There are a few tell-tell signs that your foundation is sinking. The first and most obvious one is if you notice cracks in your foundation. Also, if you see cracks in your walls, that could mean your house is sinking. In both cases, you’ll see visual signs of stress as the wonky soil is ripping the house at its seams.
The less obvious sign of a sinking foundation is if you’re having trouble opening or closing your doors or windows. If you have to wedge your windows open or need a doorstop to keep them open, that could be because your house is leaning.
Hire a Structural Engineer
Once you’ve noticed problems with your foundation, you’ll need to schedule an inspection with a professional. If you’re looking for a professional you can trust, make sure to read online reviews and ask a lot of questions. Your best option will likely be a structural engineer. Unlike a general contractor or foundation specialist, an engineer won’t have a financial interest in repairing your foundation, so you can trust them to give you a more accurate assessment of the situation.
Perform a Soil Tests
Along with a foundation inspection, you’ll need to perform a soil test. Every solution to fixing the foundation involves some form of underground drilling, so the professional you’ll hire will need to know what they are working with. If you are lucky and still have the contact for your home’s builder, you may be able to reach out to them to see if they already performed tests.
Install Helical Piers
One solution for fixing your foundation is helical piers. Helical piers are large metal, screw-like poles that connect your foundation with bedrock. They are minimally invasive because a professional will drill them down into the ground rather than digging into the soil and burying them. The standard pier supports about 500 tons of weight, so you can install more than one for larger projects.
Hire a Pressure Grouting Service
Pressure grouting is the process of injecting grout material deep into the soil to give it additional support and structure. Grouting is in use at almost every dam in the world to strengthen the ground against seeping liquids. The process only takes about a day, so your foundation will be back in order in no time.
Now that you know what to do if your house’s foundation is sinking, you can take the necessary steps to fix your home’s problems.