Can a Sinking Slab Foundation Be Fixed
Hi there, if you’re wondering how to fix a sinking foundation… we know you must be at least a little worried.
Don’t be.
Proven, effective, and affordable solutions are available.
We know because we happen to be the most experienced Foundation Repair company in the Texas Panhandle & surrounding states — opened in 1972. Basically, we service a 300-mile radius around Amarillo.
Let’s take a minute to go through two core methods of fixing a home’s sinking concrete foundation that we specialize in.
Solution #1: Helical Piers
This image below is one of the best on the internet to show you the basics of how our state-of-the-art helical piers work to pinpoint accuracy. The professionally installed piers bolt or screw your home’s foundation into the deep solid strata below using hydraulic pressure.
We then attach proprietary brackets to the foundation and lift it using a special jack. Once we lift your foundation to the required position, we secure it to the brackets. This permanently transfers the structure’s load to stable strata far below.
- Depth: Our helical piers go down as deep as neededt to get beneath the active layers of soil (this means it’s unaffected by everything happening in shallower layers). We need to anchor them in the load-bearing strata. The main difference is they’re screwed into place, rather than using the weight of the structure to push into the gound like less effective push piles. For this reason helical piers don’t shift.
- Precision: After being in business for close to 50 years, we’ve got all the cutting-edge equipment, toys, and technology to be ultra-precise. We can pinpoint exactly how far down to go to reach the perfect soil and exactly how much that soil can hold.
- Power: At the end of the day, we’ve installed thousands of these piers over the decades. But guess how many we’ve had to go back and readjust due to any kind of product-related issues? To date… just one. Each of our helical piers can hold 12,000 lbs.
- Cleanliness: One of the more common benefits of helical piers for residential purposes, is they don’t often create a mess. Instead, these projects are typically fast, efficient, and unaffected by poor weather conditions.
Solution #2: Soil Stabilization Technology
Have you ever heard of the EcSS 3000TM Soil Stabilizer? We’d be shocked if you had.
It might not be well known, but there’s a good chance you’ve walked atop a concrete foundation that’s been treated with it. The product alters the soil so it no longer swells (upheaval) or shrinks (settling). Here in the area of the country we work in, expansive clay soils are a big issue.
So, how does the technology work?
“As proven by three independent studies from major universities (Penn State, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State University), EcSS 3000 stops soil swelling by altering the structure of soil molecules. It permanently changes the characteristics of the charged ions in soil that attract and bind water, thereby reducing the swell potential to 1-2%.”
Afterward, the soil is permanently altered in an environmentally safe way, so it’s far more solid. It’s used not just on residential homes of all sizes but commercial properties like gyms, airports, office buildings, hotels, etc.
Solution #3: Slab-Lifting Foam | Slab-Jacking
What if the basement is sinking?
What if the right side of the garage is beginning to sag?
While not often used to lift entire homes, high-quality slab-lifting foam can lift up to 10,000lbs per square foot. This makes it a fantastic solution for driveways, basement floors, patio/porches, garage floors, sidewalks, and steps. And you bet this helps your home’s overall foundation stay in better shape.
- Slab-lifting foam is inexpensive compared to tearing out the concrete and replacing it.
- Slab-lifting foam is designed to be a long-term solution that’s environmentally friendly.
- Unlike Rip & Replace or Mudjacking methods, it’s quick and non-intrusive.
Don’t Wait: Reach Out To Foundation Repair Professionals
In conclusion, you don’t have to fret yourself about how to fix a sinking foundation anymore.
There are fast, affordable solutions available and professionals to ensure everything’s done right.
If you’re in our neck of the woods anywhere around Amarillo, TX, feel free to Contact Childers Brothers. We’ll be happy to provide a highly detailed inspection for absolutely no charge. Thanks for your time today.