If your home’s foundation starts to settle, uneven shifting soil is often to blame. While uneven foundation settling or sinking can be a serious cause for concern, there is an effective solution: foundation piering. At Tom’s Basement Waterproofing, we have helped homeowners across Michigan since 1975 find affordable and effective solutions for foundation repairs. One of our core services is foundation piering, a proven solution that stabilizes and restores foundations by transferring the home’s weight from unstable to deeper, stable soil. Let’s look at foundation piering and how it can stabilize your foundation.
What is Foundation Piering?
Foundation piering is a repair method used to stabilize and support a home or building experiencing settlement or sinking, typically from soil shifting. When soil shifts unevenly, it can stress your foundation, leading to cracks, water intrusion, and even foundation failure. Piering addresses this issue by driving steel piers deep into the ground until they reach stable soil or bedrock. This repair method permanently transfers the weight of your home’s foundation onto a more stable surface, stopping uneven shifting and the damage it can cause.
What to Expect During Installation of Foundation Piers
Many homeowners worry that foundation piering will be a highly invasive repair procedure that will take weeks to complete. When piering is done by a reputable foundation repair company like ours, the process is minimally invasive and quickly completed. For a general timeline of what you can expect from foundation piering, most homes can have their foundations piered in a few days. Repair times can vary depending on the size of your home and the number of piers needed. There will be some noise from foundation piering, similar to what you would experience from other construction projects. Our team will also need to excavate some areas of your landscaping around the foundation to make access points for the piers. Once the work has been completed, we will carefully backfill excavated areas to restore your landscaping. Our team works hard to make foundation piering as convenient and minimally invasive as possible for your family and home.
Benefits of Steel Pier Systems
Foundation piers have many benefits over other foundation repair methods. Piering is a permanent and long-lasting solution to soil shifting and uneven settling of your foundation. The improved structural integrity you get with piering will stop new cracks from forming in your foundation and can raise your home back to its ideal resting position. In the long run, foundation piering is a much more cost-effective foundation repair solution than temporary fixes that don’t address the underlying issue.
How to Know If Your Home Needs Foundation Piering
When your home’s foundation needs piering, you’ll likely notice several signs. Common signs that can point towards the need for foundation piering can include:
- Cracks in walls or ceilings
- Doors and windows that stick
- Uneven floors
- Chimney separation
- Gaps around trim
- Water intrusion into basements
If you notice these signs in your foundation, contact Tom’s Basement Waterproofing for a foundation inspection and to determine if piering is recommended.
Affordable Foundation Piering Solutions From Tom’s Basement Waterproofing
To schedule a foundation inspection or to receive a foundation piering estimate, contact Tom’s Basement Waterproofing today at (586) 949-7826. Our local team of licensed and insured foundation repair specialists will walk you through the foundation piering process and help you find an affordable solution to your home or business’s foundation concerns.