subject: Push Piers To The Rescue [print this page] In a perfect world, every house would be built on solid, stable soil with more than enough bearing capacity to support the weight of the structure and its contents. But as some homeowners discover, houses are sometimes built in unsuitable locations, where the soil has characteristics that can cause foundation problems like cracking, bowing, settling and shifting.
When the soil around a foundation can no longer support the weight of a home, foundation repair specialists often use push piers (sometimes also called resistance piers) to transfer the weight of the structure to bedrock or other competent soils that are deep below the ground surface. Engineering surveys can be used to determine the depth that must be reached to contact good bearing soil. The most common push pier systems are manufactured from hollow steel tube sections that are designed to interlock one on top of the other.
Each steel pier section is driven through a heavy-duty steel bracket that is installed under the footing of the home, wall or slab that needs to be supported. Once the proper pier depth has been reached, the damaged foundation can be permanently stabilized and many times can be lifted back to its original condition. Either way, once the piers have been installed, homeowners can rest assured that stability has been restored to the structure. Finally, the soils can be backfilled around the home and the landscape is restored. Any associated cracks, gaps, and out-of-level areas can also be cosmetically repaired at this time.
Push piers and brackets are hot-dip galvanized to resist corrosion. In the hands of a skilled foundation repair contractor, these components can effectively transform a house with serious structural problems into a safe, sound structure that will no longer be threatened by unstable soil conditions. In addition to completing the pier-and-bracket repair work, the foundation specialist may also recommend drainage and waterproofing improvements to help avoid structural problems in the future.
