What Materials Are Used for Foundation Repair in Texas
What exactly is a home foundation? At its most basic, it is the starting point of your home. Because everything in your home is supported by your home base (foundation), it is the first thing that was built. Your house’s health and stability are heavily reliant on the health and stability of its foundation.
Foundations Begin Below Ground
After deciding on a place for a house, the first step is excavation. The type of foundation determines the depth of the excavation. They all begin underground. Construction begins with a footer (or footing) consisting of poured concrete, which is occasionally reinforced with a steel rebar.
Footers are required to assist stabilization of the foundation and “cushion” it from significant settling. If the soil in your location has large rocks or is soft, it may be difficult to tamp down smoothly, basically stomping the soil down to make it more compact. The footer also distributes the foundation’s weight throughout the ground.
If your house is less than a century old, it was most likely built on top of the footers.
What Materials are Used for Foundations?
A variety of materials can be used to construct your foundation. Modern construction methods rely on poured concrete or concrete (or cinder) blocks. Both of them are long-lasting, rigid, and robust materials that have been in use for decades. Most foundation repair businesses and contractors, such as Done Right Foundation Repair, can restore these materials without difficulty.
When a foundation is showing signs of issues, it is important that you take the time to call on the experts. While there are many reasons for issues with your foundation, it should not be left to “fix” itself, as this never happens. Some things that are used to fix foundations are steel piers, concrete piers, Helical piers, and Segmented piers.
We have also used high-density polyurethane foam, a relatively new technique. This technique can be sprayed into the cracks or sunken areas to gently lift them up and repair the issue. This method is called slab jacking and is very common.
Slab Jacking
Slab jacking is one of the most common ways to improve your home’s foundation. This method uses a mixture of grout and/or foam to raise up the foundation. This can be used for areas that have sunk. This method can save you $1000s when done correctly.
If you see signs of cracking, some masonry patches or seals might do the trick. Of course, this area should be inspected by a professional before you start putting on a patch. Patches are usually only temporary fixes but will get you by while you decide what to do and save for the repair.
Most foundations today are made from the concrete of some form these days. This is because the material is very stable and capable of withholding the structure’s weight. However, there are many times that this concrete is reinforced with steel rods. Repairing this material is also something that is relatively straightforward.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your foundation’s materials and how to go about repairing a crack or other foundation issues, call 512-243-9991.
About Done Right Foundation Repair
Locally Owned, Texas Proud
Done Right Foundation Repair was created over 20 years ago by Chris Felsing with the support of his family. He started with a small team and a big dream, learning the ins and outs of foundation repair as he went. He and his team looked for ways to provide a complete solution to all foundation issues and have worked tirelessly for the past 20 years to master their craft. Our Central Texas locations: Done Right Foundation Repair in Austin, Done Right Foundation Repair in New Braunfels, Done Right Foundation Repair in San Marcos
