What are my options?

What solutions do you have that are permanent? These are questions that that our clients think about before contacting us. When it comes to foundation settlement, we have the solutions to give you peace of mind that it will work.

Steel Push Piers

Push piers made of steel permanently stabilize your home's foundation. In many cases, this solution can also lift your home back toward level. It can close cracks and improve the operation of doors and windows.

What's the installation process?

To start this process, we first remove the soil from around your foundation's footing. This where the pier will be installed. Then, specially engineered steel brackets are placed strategically under the footing several feet apart. Steel pier sections are hydraulically driven through the bracket to bedrock or a stable soil layer. Next, the weight of the home is transferred from the concrete foundation to the deep load-bearing soil or bedrock. A lift can the be attempted to bring the home back toward its original position. Once the stabilization and lift are completed, the soil is back filled, the entire system is hidden from view and your home is permanently stabilized in its new position.

What are the advantages of Push Piers?

Some advantages of Push Piers are that this system reaches much greater depths that other options. The specially-designed starter tube is fitted with a friction-reducing collar. This allows the piers to advance further to reach bedrock or other stable soil layers, which ensures permanent stability for your foundation. This system features a patented bracket and external sleeve. The external sleeve strengthens the pier system directly below the bracket to prevent kinking or bending. This ensures a vertical installation all the way to competent soils. It does not require the use of heavy equipment. Installation is less invasive to the area round the home. These piers will not rust because they are made out of galvanized steel

How do I decide to use them or not?

So when do we use our Steel Push Pier system? Push piers are driven all the way to bedrock or a stable soil layer. They are the least risky solution when local soil conditions are unknown. If you are interested in the following outcomes, push piers are a good choice: best opportunity to lift the home back up to its original position. Minimal disturbance from installation. Quick installation compared to other solutions (often 2-3 days) and if you want the problem solved once and for all. When do we NOT used our Steel Push Pier system? When installing piers on lighter structures like stoops or deck, they may not be heavy enough to drive the push piers to a sufficient depth. A solution such as a helical pier may be more effective.

Helical Piers

A helical pier is another type of steel pier that can be used to permanently stabilize your home. They're named for their unique helix design. The first section that is advanced into the ground has one or more helix-shaped blades welded to the shaft. This profile allows this section to be mechanically screwed into the soil. These piers can be installed from the exterior or interior of your home. Is also provides an opportunity to lift the home back toward its original position. This often results in closed cracks and improved operation of doors and windows.

What's the installation process?

This process first starts by removing soil from the area where the helical pier will be installed. The first pier section is screwed into the ground using specialized hydraulic equipment. Additional steel sections are then added to extend the pier to the appropriate depths and capacities. A steel foundation bracket is connected to the helical piers and attached to your foundation's footing. The weight of the home is then transferred through the helical piers onto competent load-bearing soils deep below the surface. Lifting your home back toward its original position can also be attempted with this solution. Once the soil around the installation area is replaced, the entire system is hidden from view.

How do I decide to use them or not?

Helical piers are an ideal solution for permanently stabilizing your home, regardless of the weight of the structure. So when don't I want to use helical piers for my home? Less experienced helical pier installers may not advance the pier deep enough if a stiff soil layer is encountered near the surface, which may be above the problematic soil layer.

What are the advantages of Helical Piers?

Some advantages of Helical Pier from Total Foundation Solutions are, that our helical piers are suitable for both heavy and light loads. Our system reaches greater depths than other options. This engineered round shaft design has a high resistance to bending compared to the conventional square shaft design in other options. This Helical Pier system features a patented bracket and external sleeve. The external sleeve strengthens the pier system directly below the bracket to prevent kinking and bending that can drastically weaken other systems. True helix blade shape disturbs less soil and advances much deeper that non-helix shaped systems. With installation it doesn't require heavy equipment and installation is less invasive to the area around the home. Made from galvanized steel, our helical piers and shafts won't rust over time.

So in conclusion, there are different advantages and disadvantages of our Helical Piers and Push Pier. Call us for your free no obligation quote today. We can find what solution(s) works best for you and your home.