3 Benefits to Underpinning Now vs. Later

 

Many people all over Arizona often fall victim to foundation problems in their homes, whether by a settlement or even heaving issues. However, some people, even if they see signs of stress because of foundation issues, decide to postpone the solution, which will lead to more cosmetic and internal damages causing a bigger investment in the future.

 

Arizona Foundation Solutions has over 30 years of experience in foundation repair and providing the best-tailored solution for each specific foundation case with the help of in-house engineers ready to help you and your foundation.

 

In the following section of this article, the benefits of underpinning and what might happen if the underpinning installation gets postponed for X or Y reasons will get explained, along with the different products and their components. As a result, you will be able to determine wisely if the foundation repair needs to get postponed or solved sooner than expected based on the level of benefit you might get.

 

Push Pier Vs. Helical Pier: What's the difference?

 

What is a helical pier?

 

When you think about a helical pier, you might imagine a very large and strong screw that gets drilled down from 7 to 10 feet underground to provide stability to the whole house by leveling and securing it, and if you do, you are correct!

 

Helical piers are foundation pins designed with helices to stabilize and sustain a home's foundation; however, just as with any other product or service, it has its unique function, depending on the current scenario.

 

Helical piers are used in non-rocky solid and usually get installed under not-so-heavy houses or buildings. The helical pier is a steel object material composed of:

 

• Footing & the bracket: The Footing is where the house’s weight will rest, and the bracket function is too strong and permanently attached to the pier with the footing to deliver the expected foundation support.

 

• Shaft: It is called a shaft or, in other words, a pier, and it is made of steel which is the one in charge of supporting and providing stabilization to the house because if this element breaks, there is no foundation support at all.

 

• Helical Plate: This element is the one in charge of bearing the weight of the house to allow the pier to sustain and distribute the weight.

 

There might be some questions in your mind, such as: What is causing the soil beneath my house’s foundation to shift? Or what factors influence the soil to change its volume? Two causes might be influencing the foundation problems and will get discussed in the following:

 

Foundation settlement problem: this type of issue occurs when there is a drought or the expansive soil under the house's foundation does not get enough exposure to water, and because of the house's weight, it starts to settle due to the clay shrinking.

 

Foundation Heave Problem: Heaving issues are quite the opposite compared to settlement issues since this happens when there is a water leak or excessive irrigation, including rain and floods. The Clay soil or expansive soil begins to get swollen, and eventually, the foundation starts to heave, causing the concrete slab to crack. 

 

What is a push pier?

 

A push pier is made of steel, and it comes with a footing and a bracket. Unlike a helical pier push, piers do not have helices which makes them cheaper and perfect for very heavy structures and really rocky soils. 

 

Far from helical piers, push piers are like a nail that gets drilled down with hydraulic force and supports the house foundation. Push piers similar to helical piers need to also get drilled from 7 to 10 feet until the strata layer gets reached for a strong and stable foundation support. The main difference between push & helical piers, besides the design, is that push piers are meant for heavy structures and rocky soil, and helical piers perform better for lighter structures and non-rocky soil. The push piers are composed of:

 

• Footing & the bracket: The Footing is where the house’s weight will rest, and the bracket function is to strongly and permanently attach to the pier with the footing to deliver the expected foundation support.

• Shaft: Some people call it a shaft or some other pier, and this element is made of steel which is the one in charge of supporting and providing stabilization to the house because if this element breaks, there is no foundation support anymore.

 

So another question you might ask yourself is why should I underpin sooner instead of later? There are three benefits for underpinning now instead of later:

 

• If you wait until the damage or the signs of stress get worse, you might end up investing more to completely repair the foundation along with the collateral damages too.

• The cracks can extend to the ceiling and start to get pulled open, causing structural damage.

• You can even have hazard safety because when there is a foundation problem, it is difficult to open or close doors and windows, which can be very unfortunate in an emergency where you might need an exit.

 

However, the piers perform differently depending on distinct factors such as the type of foundation, the location, and the weather condition. There are three different types of foundations, and each pier's performance is based on the house’s needs and clients’ goals.

 

• Conventional foundation: Some people call this type of foundation a floating foundation because the foundation is not completely attached to the perimeter. When there is a settlement or heave foundation issue, the space gaps between the floor and the walls get pretty clear. 

 

When underpinning this type of foundation, our foundation heroes need to use helical piers in case the weight of the house is not very heavy and lift the perimeter back to its original position and then use polylevel to lift the concrete slab by separating instead of lifting it at the same time along with the perimeter. 

 

• Post-tension foundation: Even though Arizona houses are not fully post-tension foundations as in Texas, contractors come across them every once in a while. Unlike conventional foundations, the post-tension foundations are attached to the perimeter in a way that the whole structure work as a box made of concrete or even block, which makes the concrete slabs harder to crack because when there is a settlement, the whole house sinks and if there is a foundation heave problem all the house goes up. 

 

Unlike conventional foundations, post-tension foundations are lighter, so our foundation heroes might use helical piers to lift the house foundation along with the perimeter. Even though polylevel does not get used to lifting the concrete slab, it gets used to fulfilling the empty spaces beneath the house’s foundation once the whole structure gets lifted back to its original and stable position. 

 

• Crawl Spaces: This type of foundation is very common in Arizona, especially up north, such as Flagstaff, Williams, Prescott, etc. Unlike other houses in Arizona, these houses probably got built over cliffs that caused the city to complement houses with crawl spaces to provide stability. 

 

In crawl spaces, contractors use SmartJack® and piers to stabilize the home. The good thing about post-tension foundation houses, including the material, is that when they get repaired, their floor moves along with the house’s perimeter, which is better for everyone involved in the project. 

 

What Now?

Now that you know what piers do, what piers are, and their specific function, depending on the type of problem and foundation type you might be facing, you can determine if it is recommendable for you and your house to prevent all these foundation problems and consequences from happening to avoid all those painful cracks and unlevel floors.

 

You might not have existential or dangerous visible signs of foundation problems, but you probably do not want them or need them either. Arizona Foundation solutions, thanks to its amazing crew, will give not only a solution but the best solution for you and your house’s foundation because we know you care. 

 

Let our in-house engineering department guide you to the repair you need, and do not end up paying more than you should, get proactive and give us a call at 1-602-470-1311 and let us solve your Foundation problems!