Signs You Need Foundation Repair
Problems with the foundation of your house can cause many other issues in other parts of your house and, if not addressed right away, can cause major problems. The most common problem we find is leaks in the basement. The foundation of your home is what holds your house together. If it breaks down, water can damage your home and the health of your family could suffer. This is because standing water can cause mold and mildew to grow on the surfaces of your home. Mold can even be airborne, making it easy to inhale. Mold and mildew can cause many health issues down the road.
Because having a safe and secure home is incredibly important, here are some signs you need foundation repair:
- Certain types of cracks in and around your house are a pretty good sign of foundation problems. These can be found in basement walls, drywall or plaster, or the brickwork of your home.
- Sticking windows and doors that have trouble opening can also be caused by foundation failure.
- Moisture and water leaking into your basement or crawl space could be caused by foundation cracking.
- Despite it being as far away from the foundation as you can get, if your chimney is leaning, it could be because uneven settlement has caused foundation problems.
Foundation Repair Methods Used in Lincoln
Often the root cause of foundation problems rests in the soil beneath your home or business. If the soil is unable to support the weight of the building, the foundation will start to settle. As it settles, especially if it settles unevenly, this will stress the foundation as well as the rest of the building since it relies on the foundation for stability.
When this happens, the best solution is often to no longer rely on that soil for support.
We can install a foundation underpinning system using either push piers or helical piers depending on factors such as bedrock depth.
The piers are sunk (or screwed in the case of helical piers) into the ground until the reach bedrock or a strong enough layer of soil to support the weight of the building. The load of the building is then transferred onto the piers, which are attached to the foundation via brackets.
Bowed Wall Repairs
One foundation-related problem that actually has basically the opposite cause of settlement-based foundation failure is that of bowing basement walls.
Instead of the soil not being strong enough to support the building, the pressure being exerted by the soil (usually because of excess water) becomes too much for the basement wall and it begins to bow inward and crack.
We have several different options to fix bowing walls, allowing us to pick the best one for your basement. Helical tiebacks and plate anchors are similar in that each are similar to the piering systems except they run basically parallel to the ground rather than perpendicular to it. The pier, which is attached to a plate on the inside of the basement wall, extends outside into the soil, anchoring it there and providing a counteracting force to the pressure from the soil pushing in against the wall.
An alternative that can sometimes fix a bowing wall is carbon fiber strips. The strips are attached to the top of the wall and to the wall’s footing. This allows the carbon fiber, which is stronger than steel, to support the bowing walls from the inside.
Contact Jerry’s Waterproofing for Foundation Repair Services in Lincoln, NE
Foundation repair is vital if your home has become unsafe. Jerry’s Waterproofing can help. We can take care of any foundation repair problems you may have. Jerry’s Waterproofing specializes in professional and reliable waterproofing and foundation repair services. Call today for a free estimate.