If you require interior piers, the reason why is because the middle area of your house is sinking and has low elevations. The purpose of placing the piers beneath your foundation is to make it level. It’s important that the central portion of your structure be even with the outside edges of your slab. If you’re having issues, found out the reason why.
How Interior Piers Are Installed Under Slab Foundations:
The process of making repairs involves cracking the slab and creating approximately 2’ X 2’ holes in each area of the floor (foundation) where piers are to be placed. If you have carpet, it must be pulled up before this task is performed. (In the event you have wood or tile floors, they must be cut.)
Next, crew members excavate the hole and place the dirt they remove on a tarp which is positioned directly next to the hole. If concrete piers are being installed, a hydraulic press will be used to push solid concrete cylinders into the ground as far as they will go. This is generally referred to as pushing them “to the point of refusal.” After that, a cap stone is placed on top of the cylinder stack. Then, a hydraulic bottle jack is used to lift the foundation to its proper elevation. The pier is shimmed off and the bottle jack is removed. Finally, the hole is backfilled using the original soil, and the concrete slab is patched using high strength concrete.
Interior foundation problems typically arise as a result of soil movement, under slab plumbing leaks, drainage problems or poorly compacted soil. Many different things can lead to issues that will ultimately cause your slab foundation to become uneven.
How Many Interior Piers Are Needed To Make A Structure Even:
The number of pilings you’ll require depends on how unlevel your slab foundation is. You may only need 1-2 interior piers, or you may require 10-15, and possibly even more. All foundations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. While installing piers under concrete slabs is a somewhat messy procedure, it is imperative that the work be done if significant foundation settling has occurred. Unless the problem is stopped, your structure will continue to deteriorate, sink further and further, and become increasingly costly to repair.
If you’ve noticed that the interior or exterior of your slab foundation appears to be sloping or cracking, contact a foundation repair contractor. Most companies offer free estimates to homeowners. A professional can determine the extent of the problem, tell you whether you need interior foundation piers or exterior pilings, and determine exactly how many should be installed.