September 13, 2010 By

Pier and Beam Foundation Tips

There are many tips and good practices for pier and beam foundations. We will concentrate on “the most important maintenance tip” for pier and beam foundations. The most important thing you can do for your pier and beam foundation is, assure that drainage is properly maintained. The same is true for concrete slab foundations.

Absolutely no water should be allowed to accumulate near a house, run toward the foundation,  or pass under the house.

With our clay soils, water causes the surface and sub-surface piers to heave and sink or drop with seasonal changes in moisture.  A damp, enclosed pier and beam foundation area may also lead to wood rot and encourage termite infestations.  Assure that ventilation is adequate, and if not, add vents and fans.

More often than not, most of the damage to a pier and beam foundation will come from inadequate pier support as the wet clay turns to mud.

If you are in need of a pier and beam foundation repair, contact Granite Foundation Repair.

Filed Under: Foundation Maintenance, Foundation Repair Information, Pier and Beam Foundation Tagged With: , , ,
September 9, 2010 By

Why use concrete pilings or piers for foundation repair?

Almost half of failed house foundations in the North Texas area, including Dallas and Ft. Worth, have used pressed concrete pilings for foundation repair.

When properly installed, pressed concrete pilings provide good long term stability.  They are a practical, low cost alternative to steel piers.

Steel piers are often better than pressed concrete piers in the Dallas Ft Worth area, as they are consistently driven to rock.  Compare Steel Pier and Concrete Piling Foundation Repair Methods.

Here  are  4 reasons why pressed concrete piers are  offered by many foundation repair companies that do not offer steel piers for underpinning a foundation.

  1. The cost of steel pier installation equipment is 5 times the cost of pressed piling foundation repair equipment.  This means that the cost of getting into the repair business is much cheaper for companies that offer only pressed pilings.
  2. The cost of material for a typical steel pier underpinning is 3 times that of pressed concrete pilings.
  3. Most contractors do not have adequate facilities to manufacture steel pier brackets and cut high carbon tubular steel sections.
  4. Less scrupulous contractors can take short cuts with pressed concrete pilings, greatly reducing installation time and cost.

In areas where the distance to rock is over 100 feet, such as much of Houston, pressed concrete pilings are a good solution for foundation repair. Pressed concrete pilings seldom go deeper than 10 to 15 feet in most of the Dallas Ft Worth Metroplex due to the high density of clay soil. Pressed steel piers go through clay like a hot knife through butter, to provide a consistently reliable foundation support system.

In dry conditions Granite Foundation Repair will water inject the soil.  Water injection provides maximum pressed concrete piling depth, which equates to best long term performance.

Each foundation is unique and will be evaluated by Granite Foundation Repair for the best foundation repair method. Contact Granite Foundation Repair today for a free foundation inspection.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Methods, Pressed Concrete Pier or Piling, Steel Pier for Foundation Repair Tagged With: , , , ,