The Different Types of Foundation Repair

While dealing with a cracked foundation can be a pain, you will, at least, have a plethora of potential solutions available to you. The contractors working in the Cleveland, OH, area aim to offer you as many fixes as possible.

Which is the best for your home? That will depend on the degree of your damage, the age of your home, what kind of foundation your have, and other individual factors – but let’s take a look at the solution catalog so you know where to start.

When Does Your Foundation Need Repair?

Before you commit to a repair solution, you’ll need to determine what kind of damage you have on your hands. Leaks and cracks can look quite similar. Luckily – in a manner of speaking – there are some symptoms that are unique to a leak. These include:

• Bowing walls
• Shifting floors
• Gaps at the joints of your foundation
• Sticking doors
• Foggy windows
• Water-damaged belongings or furniture
• Mold

Unfortunately, foundation leaks can start to impact the outside of your home if they go untreated for too long. If you’re noticing any of the following outside your home, you’re going to want to get in touch with a professional contractor as soon as possible:

• Vertical cracks in your walls
• A cracked chimney
• Cracks running horizontally across your foundation
• Sinking

Your Foundation Repair Options

Once you’ve determined that you have a foundation leak on your hands, it’s time to choose your preferred solution. There’s more than one way to fix a foundation leak, but your preferred solution will likely vary based on your foundation and the degree of damage.

Most contractors will suggest one of the following solutions:

• Wall Repair Systems – If you’ve got cracking, bowing walls that have fallen victim to hydrostatic pressure, you’ve got some options to not only reinforce them but to also help straighten them. Wall anchors and IntelliBrace™ beams installed on walls with moderate to severe disrepair can be tightened during dry seasons to help improve the walls’ conditions.
• Wall Reinforcements – For less severely damaged walls, Carbon Fiber supports are the answer for permanently stabilizing them in their current positions and preventing any further cracking or movement. These low-profile supports firmly adhere to the walls and are even stronger than steel.
• Crawl Space Supports – Soft, sagging, bouncy floors need stabilizers that will properly support failing floors and floor joists. The heavy-duty IntelliJack™ system reinforces floors above crawl spaces and can help lift them back to level.
• Piering Systems – If you’ve got settling foundation walls, the best way to protect your home is with piers. Piers are installed deep below your foundation to more stable soil to better support the structure. Push piers are the most commonly used type of piers for stabilizing and helping lift homes back to level. Helical piers are typically used for lighter structures like porches and chimneys, and slab piers are specifically used on homes with slab foundations.
• Polyurethane Injections – This is a minimally invasive solution intended more for exterior concrete lifting and leveling rather than foundation repair. However, the unique PolyRenwal™ system can be used to lift, level, and stabilize concrete slab floors in your home or garage, thus working to help shore up a portion of your foundation.

The Detriments of DIY Solutions

If you’re worried about the cost of foundation repair, you might find yourself entertaining the idea of a DIY solution. While handling a repair on your own time may seem appealing, doing so can end up costing you more than professional repairs in the long run. Why? Because if you don’t have experience working with foundation problems, any quick fixes may end up doing more damage to your foundation.

As such, any professional you bring in will have to remove the DIY solution before implementing a more effective fixture. This could result in a longer and more expensive project.

When in doubt, then, reach out to the professional foundation repair contractors operating out of the Cleveland, OH, area. They’ll be able to provide you with a free inspection and quote on potential services.