Ways to Stabilize Your House Foundation

Years ago, when I first got into the construction business, we used to fix failed foundations by "underpinning" them. This simply involved digging a round or square hole underneath the failed portion of the foundation. After we reached solid ground, we would fill this hole with concrete. This new pier would support the foundation. This method is still used today, however, it is quite labor intensive. Much of the digging is performed by hand.

Newer methods have been developed that allow you to not only stabilize the foundation, but also lift it back up (to varying degrees.) These methods involve either driving steel pipes into the ground or installing a giant screw called a helical pier. Once these things are driven or drilled into solid ground, a large steel bracket is attached. The bracket slips under the foundation and footer. Machinery then is able to lift the bracket up the pier or the steel pipes. If you are lucky, you can bring the foundation back to its original position.

Artificial Rain

Let's talk about expandable clays. These soils can cause big problems, especially for people who live in a house on a slab or who have room additions or garages with shallow foundations (those four feet or less in the ground.)

Periods of extended, severe drought can dry a soil to deep levels. Large trees near a house can suck vast amounts of moisture from the soil. You can combat these problems if you install (during construction) a water injection system. It's easy to do.

Have you seen foundation drainage pipe? You know, the pipe with holes in it. Imagine if your builder is installing this to drain water away from your foundation. Great! But what about when your foundation needs water? Well, simply have the builder install two or three Tee fittings around your house. Extend a vertical pipe from these fittings up to the surface. In periods of dry weather, you can run a garden hose into the pipes. The soil, down by your footer, will think that everything is normal back at the surface! Nothing like smoke and mirrors!

Phantom Settlement Cracks

Sometimes people think that their house is settling when, in fact, it is not. They are victims of lumber shrinkage and swelling. The framing lumber (wall studs, floor joists and roof rafters) all absorb humidity from the air.

Here in Cincinnati, we have very humid summers. Cracks around windows and doors disappear or get very small in the summer months. Six months later, these same cracks look like the Grand Canyon. The drier winter air sucks the water from the lumber.

The wood acts like an accordion. It moves back and forth with the changes in seasons. Be sure to consider this possibility before you initiate expensive foundation repairs! You may not have a foundation problem.