Your Home’s Foundation on Trial: A Jury of Its “Piers”
As with most things in life, the success of your home starts with its foundation. No matter how elaborate, creative, or stunning the architecture and design, you're going to have problems without a solid and properly installed foundation. If that happens and repairs are required, you have several options. Understanding these options will help you make the best decision and ensure your home is repaired properly. After all, foundation repairs aren’t something you ever want to have to do again.
When home foundations fail, we often use foundation piers to remedy the problem areas and correct the foundation settlement. The following are three main types of piers used for foundation repair:
A foundation pier – also known as a CMU pier (concrete masonry unit) – is a concrete block pier. It is constructed by applying mortar to bond each block together to reach the appropriate height needed to support whatever structural member is above. The pier is always placed on a concrete footer.
We may also use foundation support piers, also known as pilasters. Pilasters use the same concept as the CMU pier but support the exterior of the home. For example, if there is a brick curtain wall, foundation support piers are built in a way to where they are attached to the curtain to support the wall from failing as well.
The third type of pier is known as a helical pier. These are metal shafts that incorporate helical plates so that they kind of resemble giant screws. They are hydraulically screwed into the ground rather than being pushed, and a pressure gauge system is used to determine when the required depth is met.
So which is best? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of pier? In truth, they all serve a unique purpose depending on the needs of the home. The only real disadvantage to any of the methodologies is if the piers are not appropriately installed using concrete footers and adhere to current professional practices and standards. This happens more than you would think and will cause even more harm to the home's structure. That’s why choosing a reliable and respected company with a proven track record of success is so important.
To determine which pier type is best for your unique situation, start with a home inspection by a qualified professional. Once piers have been installed, or if you already have them in place, make sure to regularly check for cracking or settling around the exterior and interior of your home. It is also a good idea to inspect your crawl space for leaning or cracked concrete piers.
Now you know the importance of piers and the role they play in proper foundation repair. Hopefully, your foundation will never have any issues and will give you decades of support. If problems do arise, let us know any questions you may have and how we can help.