Secure Your St. Louis, MO Home With Expert Basement Piering
Maybe you see cracks in the walls, or maybe you notice that your floor is no longer level. You are watching your home, your single largest investment, fall apart because the foundation is settling into unstable ground. Sound familiar? Most likely the damage could be mitigated with proper basement piering. High & Dry Foundation Repair has a long history of helping our neighbors here in the St. Louis, MO, area shore up their homes' foundations with our piering process, so when you notice you’re having issues with your foundation, there’s only one company you need to call.
If you think your home could use the extra support provided by basement piering, give us a call at 636-273-1150 for a free estimate today!
Basement Piering FAQs
To determine if your home needs basement piering for foundation repair, look for these signs:
- Cracks in walls or floors, especially near windows and doors.
- Uneven or sloping floors, indicating foundation shifting.
- Doors and windows that are difficult to open or close due to misalignment.
- Gaps between walls and ceilings, a common sign of settling.
- Water leakage in the basement, which can result from foundation instability.
If you notice these issues, consult a foundation specialist for an assessment.
Common types of piers used in basement piering include:
- Push piers, driven deep into stable soil layers, offering strong support for heavy foundations.
- Helical piers, twisted into the ground with helical plates, ideal for softer soils and lighter structures.
- Concrete piers, poured in place or precast, effective but limited to areas with stable soil close to the surface.
- Steel piers, durable and resistant to shifting, suited for various soil conditions.
Each pier type is chosen based on soil stability and foundation load requirements.
What Is Basement Piering & How Does It Work?
Basement piering is a crucial foundation repair technique used to address issues related to foundation settling. This method involves driving steel piers deep into the ground until they reach stable soil or bedrock. These piers provide a solid support system that lifts and stabilizes the foundation, preventing further settling and shifting. During the basement piering process, hydraulic jacks are used to carefully raise the foundation to its original level, ensuring the structure is properly aligned. This approach is highly effective in mitigating damage caused by uneven settling, such as cracks in walls and floors, and restoring the stability of the home. Homeowners facing foundation repair issues can benefit greatly from basement piering, as it provides a long-term solution to maintaining the integrity and safety of their property.
What Are The Steps Of Basement Piering?
It's impossible to say exactly what steps will be followed on every basement piering project because every home is different. However, the process is generally the same, and goes as follows:
- Exposing The Foundation - The area around the foundation is dug up, revealing the foundation and prepping the area to have the piers installed. Unlike a full foundation replacement, this only involves digging being done in the places where a pier will be installed, rather than disrupting your entire yard.
- Install The Anchoring Brackets - Anchoring brackets are the touchpoints that will physically connect your foundation to the new piers once they've been installed.
- Piers Are Placed - The actual piers are placed in the ground, all the way down to the solid bedrock that will help support your home. There are multiple ways piers are installed, from pouring concrete into pre-drilled holes or hydraulically driving steel piers into the ground.
- Lifting & Shifting - The home is lifted into the proper, level position and then its weight is carefully shifted to the new piers, moving it away from the unstable soil to its new, stabilized foundation.
- Backfilling & Soil Replacement - If the home is lifted enough to create a new void, that void is refilled to support under your home. All holes that had been dug up for the process are filled back in, restoring the yard as closely as possible to its original condition.
Depend On Your Local Basement Piering Experts
If you’re experiencing foundation problems, it’s time to get High & Dry involved. We can stop the problem and prevent further damage by installing piers under your foundation. Piering can actually bring your home back from the brink by securing the foundation into the bedrock or stable soil. In some cases, the home may actually be lifted and restored to near level condition — but in all cases, the foundation will be secured so as to stop any further shifting or settling. Basement piering provides additional vertical stability and also the ability to actually lift the home to a more stable elevation. Unlike replacing your entire foundation, piering is a fairly economical and straightforward process – you’ll see very little disruption to your day-to-day life while we do the work, and once we’re done you’ll be able to take heart knowing that your home is more stable and secure than it’s ever been. If excessive settling is causing a problem with your foundation, send us a message online or call 636-273-1150 today!