Foundation Repair Glossary, Part 4

Here's the last post in our four-part series, Foundation Repair Glossary. This post catches us up on terms that didn't make it into the prior three posts. Don't worry — we'll post the entire glossary from start to finish so you have the whole thing at your fingertips!

Bell Bottom Pier

A concrete pier that has a bell-shaped bearing surface.

Crawl Space

The space between the bottom of the structure and the ground. This is common or necessary with pier and beam foundations. A properly engineered crawlspace allows enough room to vent moisture and allow for work on plumbing, electrical, and other utilities under the building.

Deviation

Deviation is the amount by which the structure is not level. That is, the structure has deviated from its specifications and true level. Naturally, a home with a great deal of deviation requires more work (piers) to bring it back to level.

Differential Settlement

The difference in movement vertically between different parts of the foundation; Non-trivial differential settlement can cause foundation failure.

Drilled Piers

A pier formed by drill a hole at an angle to a predetermined depth, forming rebar within the hole, and then filling the hole with concrete (mixed with a curing agent). A drilled pier can be expected to fail if the conditions which caused the foundation to fail in the first place are not corrected.

Epoxy Injection

Epoxy injection is used for concrete in manner similar to how welding is used for steel. That is, epoxy is used to fill cracks in concrete; often times, though, the cracks remain as weak point in the foundation.

Galvanizing

Galvanized metal is made via an electromechanical process by which steel (or iron, or other metal) is coated with a non-rusting metal, such as zinc. The zinc simply isn't painted on the steel but rather is deposited and bonded to the steel via electrode position. The long and short of it all is that the steel is protected by the zinc and not subject to rust.

Helical Pier

A helical pier is a steel shaft to which circular steel plates have been welded at an angle (thing of a large screw). Helical piers offer more resistance and support than traditional steel piers, which do not have steel plates.

Initial Site Inspection

An initial site inspection determines the most likely cause of damage and if it's caused by the foundation. The initial site inspection requires the inspector to gather lots of information including but not limited to structural and architectural drawings, grading plans, and plat of survey.

Root Barrier

Root barriers are physical barriers that redirect tree root growth downward, thus eliminating surface rooting that can damage foundations, sidewalks, driveways, and other hardscapes

Pier and Beam

A foundation construction method where the structure is supported several feet off the ground by pillars and posts or pilings (a.k.a. the piers).

Pier Depth

The depth to which piers are sunk. Piers must reach a depth that provides adequate support. This means to bedrock or to a particular soil density. The deeper the piers must be sunk, the more expensive the foundation repair job will be.

Post-Tensioning Cable Foundations

A foundation construction technique where high-strength steel strands or cables, typically referred to as tendons, create a grid of steel cables that actively support the slab.

Pressed Pier

A pressed pier is made up of individual pilings that are pre-pressed and pre-formed. These pilings, in turn, are pressed into the ground using a hydraulic press. The individual pilings are locked to each other with steel shims or a piece of cable.

Rebar

Rebar, also known as reinforcing steel or reinforcement steel, is a common steel bar used to reinforced concrete.

Retaining Wall

A retaining wall supports eroding soil in areas where the ground is likely to shift. Retaining walls can also provide additional support to foundations built up with fill dirt.

Soaker Hose

A gardening hose capped on one end and containing hundreds of tiny perforations. A soaker hose set next to a structure's foundation can help maintain a consistent moisture level within the soil and help prevent foundation movement and, consequently, foundation failure.

Soil Stability

Soil material (clay, sand, etc.) and drainage play a big part in how much water the soil can contain and how often that soil is asked to contain that water. If the soil's moisture content changes often and/or a great deal, your foundation will move as the soil contracts and expands with moisture.

Structural Engineer

An independent registered professional engineer that specializes in civil or structural engineering.

Waffle Slab Foundation

Waffle slab foundations are formed when beams are poured throughout the interior until the pattern resembles a waffle.>

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.