All About Foundation Repair

Piers for [New] Pools!

2011-03-03T07:12:00.027-06:00

Again, I want to talk about swimming pools, even though it's early in the year and few of us are actually putting on swimming trunks anytime soon. What are we discussing this time? How about your brand new swimming pool?

Indeed, if you're thinking about adding a swimming pool to your home this season, then you need to consider foundation piers for your swimming pool. Why are foundation piers an important part of new pool construction? Because they support your swimming pool as the soil underneath it (and surrounding it) expands and contracts with different amounts of moisture. You wouldn't consider building a new house without proper support, so why would you build a swimming pool without proper support?

We may not give it much thought, but swimming pools are very heavy. Think about the structure that goes into building a pool and then add the weight of thousands of gallons of water. And, as with any heavy structure, your swimming pool needs support.

And, consider this. You have a very heavy structure "floating" in the soil of your backyard. And, just like a inflatable toy or chair bobbing in your pool, your swimming pool itself "bobs" in the soil, albeit at a much less noticeable rate. That is, as the amount of water in the soil changes, the soil expands and contracts, lifting and lowering your pool and pushing it from side-to-side. Your pool doesn't have to move much for damage to occur. Cracks and loose (and eventually leaking) plumbing are almost guaranteed when your pool moves too much.

Swimming pool repair isn't cheap and a broken swimming pool isn't usable or any fun. It's just a great big hole in the ground.

So, when you are discussing pool construction with your swimming pool contractor, be sure to ask about how the pool is to be supported and about foundation piers for your new pool. If the pool contractor says piers aren't necessary, then run — don't walk — away and find yourself another contractor. The extra you spend now on proper pier support for you swimming pool is a lot less (and a lot less aggravation) than what you'll spend later on for pool repairs and installation of piers after the new construction.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Time to Think About Your Swimming Pool

2011-02-24T07:47:00.041-06:00

Here we are, deep in the midst of February, and I want to talk about your swimming pool. That's crazy, isn't it?

What's even more crazy is ignoring any cracks in your swimming pool, ignoring any paving or decking that looks like it's risen or sunk from the lip of the pool, and ignoring any mysterious leaks in the pluming which serves the pool. More likely than not, the swimming pool is the focus of your backyard and figures greatly into your family's plan for summer fun. It's also one of the largest investments a family makes in their home. So, it'd be crazy to ignore cracks, paving and decking problems, and plumbing problems with your swimming pool.

Why are these clues important and what do they have to do with foundations? Read on and find out.

Cracks in your pool indicate that one or more parts of your pool are moving in different directions and/or different rates than the rest of the swimming pool. This is exactly the same as what happens to your home's foundation: Changes in the moisture content of the soil around and under your swimming pool causes the pool (or parts of it) to shift up and down and side-to-side. Most people don't connect swimming pools with foundation piers, but swimming pools are very heavy affairs and need support. Think about how heavy the pool's structure is, and then add to that thousands of gallons of water, and you have a very heavy item riding on and in the soil.

If you see the paving or decking around your swimming pool rising or sinking below the edge of the pool, what may be happening is that the pool itself is moving, not the paving or decking. As with cracks in the pool, lifting and sinking of the swimming pool are indicative of soil problems.

As for plumbing leaks, these can be caused when the pool shifts and pulls the plumbing fittings loose or apart. Why did the pool shift? It could be that it is riding up and down, left and right, back and forth on soil that is expanding and contracting due to changes in its moisture content.

So, what can you do about this? First off, have a structural engineer look at the pool and determine what's going on. If indeed there's a problem with the pool moving about, then you need to consider foundation piers. Just as foundation piers support your home's foundation and limit its movement to negligible amounts, they can do the same for your swimming pool.

And, as with foundation repair on your home, the proper location and installation of piers under your swimming pool can be done with limited impact on your landscaping, decking, and schedule.

If you have questions about foundation piers for pools, feel free to call us at 972-272-19000 and we'll be happy to provide you with answers.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

2011-02-17T07:30:00.029-06:00

Below is another excellent question from our "Ask Us Anything" page on our foundation repair website.

Danny,

Thanks for the question. Without a deeper structural investigation, it is really difficult to identify the exact problem. You may want to hire an independent structural engineer to look into it for you. If you call my office,(972) 272-1900, you can request a list of engineers to work from.

What I DO KNOW is that houses in this area are ALWAYS in a state of movement. That is directly tied to their dependence on the soil upon which they are built, clay soil. Clay soil is always in transition related to the infusion of moisture or the loss of moisture; when this soil absorbs water, like the melting snow and ice, it expands and lifts the house up with it

When we leave a wet season and enter our infamous Texas Summers, the soil starts to dry out, shrink, and contract in a downward motion. Of course, the house must follow the soil.

Most houses go through this 'slow motion roller coaster ride' without showing any stress signs greater than a few 'hairline' cracks in brick mortar or wall board, at least for their first couple of decades. BUT, they will 'snap, crackle and pop' as they go through the motions and that just may be what you have going on. The above mentioned 'roller coaster ride' is why you hear people harping on the subject of WATERING YOUR FOUNDATION. It is not the foundation which needs the water, but it is the soil around it that does need the water in order to limit the shrinking and pulling away from the foundation. But the opposite is true when we are getting a lot of rain: you want to make sure all excess runoff goes somewhere other than pooling next to your foundation.

I hope this simple answer helps you some. There a lot of other factors which can contribute to the situation such as the number of, size of, and placement of trees and shrubs; the contour of landscaping; the gutters; whether the home was built on fill dirt etc.

Feel free to contact me with any further questions I may be able to help with.

Sincerely,
Alan Ardoin

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Of Bedrock & Helical Piers; From "Ask Us Anything"

2011-02-11T07:41:00.001-06:00

Ellen sent two questions into our "Ask Us Anything" page, so here's here second question and our answer. Be sure to go back and see her first question concerning piers and load bearing walls, if you haven't read that post, yet.

Question

Should a contractor ALWAYS be able to find bedrock if they drill
in helical or steel piers?

Answer

Dear Ellen, another great question.

No, a contractor will not always find "bedrock" when installing Helical Piers or Steel piers, especially in the DFW Metroplex.

For starters, "bedrock" has a specific geological definition and is not found here in our area. This is why the contractor should make the effort to terminate their piers into "load bearing strata". The definition of load bearing strata can be a little subjective but it can also get technical. The main components of the definition, at least for my company, are: the pier should be at least 15' deep and should encounter a strata which produces enough resistance to support two times the weight of the structure it will carry.

Since any type of "rock" in this area of Texas can be at depths from 2 to 100 feet, affordability becomes a factor for the home owner. We have pushed our steel piers as deep as 98' in order to reach a strata that would not allow further advancement of the piers. This is where the helical piers come to the rescue of the budget.

The helical pier is designed to be installed at low speed and high torque until it bears into a strata which produces sufficient resistance to meet our criteria and then it is terminated. Sort of like when you screw a screw into a piece of lumber and the progress is easy until the screw reaches a harder layer of the wood and halts the process.

For example, where a thick bed of sand stone lies 85' deep and the steel pier would have to be driven that deep, the helical may only need to be advanced 35' deep to find a good strata for support. This is why my company has kept a database of the depths we have driven our steel piers on past jobs. When we are called to provide an estimate for a home owner, we can pull up past jobs nearest to their property and get a good idea where "load bearing strata" is and use that information to help advise the customer.

Again, feel free to forward any other questions you have and I will do my best to get you answers.

Sincerely,
Alan Ardoin.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Of Piers & Beams; From "Ask Us Anything"

2011-02-10T06:57:00.048-06:00

If you haven't had a chance to check out the "Ask Us Anything" page on our website, then you're missing out. Here's the most recent question and our answer.

Question

1) How many beams would you expect to find under a home that is 63 feet wide and 26 feet deep, plus has a garage 18 by 18 added to the back of one side?

2) Should interior piers be placed under the beams if the foundation is getting raised at least 3 inches?

3) Would one expect to find a beam under a load supporting wall that runs 63 feet from the west to the east side down the center of the home (centered at 13 feet deep)?

Answer

Dear Ellen,

Great Questions! While we are not builders or construction engineers, we have developed some construction-related perspectives due to the multitude of houses we have sought to repair. I am going to attempt to answer your questions based on the presumption that the home of which you speak is built on a slab on grade concrete foundation.

The number of beams one would expect to find and the number of beams present, if any, can be quite different. I would LIKE to find three beams from side to side; one being directly under the primary load bearing wall and another seven (7) feet offset on either side of it. If the foundation is going to be lifted three (3) or more inches then, YES, I would want the piers placed to directly support the beams.

It is not a matter of whether the foundation COULD BE LIFTED if the piers are not under the beams, but IT IS a matter of whether anything less will assure you of a LONG TERM HOLD without breaking the foundation at the point of contact at each pier.

As far as a beam being UNDER the load bearing wall, that is where one would hope to find one. But rarely have we found that to be the case; the most common situation we find is where the load bearing wall sits off from the beam two to three feet.

Some other concerns for you to consider are the pier type and depth, the stress the lift will place on all plumbing and the preparation of gas and electrical connections so they will lift with the house without being broken. Also,if you have not hired an independent engineer to design the scope of work to be attempted then I would highly recommend that.

If you have any more questions we can address please let me know.

Sincerely,
Alan Ardoin.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Why Chimneys Fail

2011-02-03T03:08:00.049-06:00

There aren't many days when North Texas home owners actually get to build a fire in their fireplaces. This translates into well over 300 days out of the year where the fireplace gets as much respect as last year's treadmill — used to hold lots of stuff but mainly ignored.

But, when we do get 'a Blue Norther' blowing through, many home owners are thwarted in their efforts to enjoy the charm and warmth of a nice crackling fire. Now that they are ready to use their fireplace, many are stopped in their tracks when they notice daylight coming through the firebox or they can feel a cold draft coming in from outside. As their investigation leads them to bundle up and go outside, they are shocked to find that the chimney is falling away from their house and headed toward their neighbor's living room! It is at that moment that they are REALLY GLAD they didn't get to build a fire and risk burning down their whole house.

The bad news is that this happens to many North Texas fireplaces. The good news is that the majority of them can be saved to warm another day. Of course everybody wants to know: "WHY does my chimney not want to play well with the rest of the house?!"

I have seen many different fireplace scenarios over the years, such as the home owner who heard a very loud noise and discovered his entire chimney lying in his yard — it had been struck by lightning. Or the ones that were built inside of the house and were sitting on nothing but the floor for support-- those are not fun. But the majority of them are your standard fireplaces, built on the outer wall and bricked to match the house. In my years of experience I have reached the opinion that there are four primary reasons our fireplaces fail.

First of all, they are built tall, with a lot of weight and sitting on a very small concrete base. It is just a matter of time before the base gives way to the weight.

Second of all, the clay soil under the concrete base is always lifting and sinking as we go through the seasons and this works the chimney up and down and slowly gets it moving away from the adjoining wall.

Third of all, the tops of our fireplaces are constantly being impacted by strong winds which force outward directional movement.

And last but not least, they are almost never built with deep support piers under the base to help counter the other reasons.

Remember the good news: most failing fireplaces can be repaired and saved to "warm another day". What to do,what to do,what to do? You could call several foundation repair companies, but you risk going with a contractor whose enthusiasm exceeds their skill and it is too important of a problem to risk that. Your best bet would be to consult a structural engineer and proceed from there.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What is a Footing?

2011-01-27T06:16:00.065-06:00

The footing (a.k.a. "spread footing") is the bottom part of the foundation and is usually made of concrete and reinforced with steel (rebar). The footing forms the base of the foundation and spreads the vertical loads from building.

Footing requirements are usually covered by municipal building codes and sized with respect to the bearing capacity of the soil and the building's weight. While we typically don't need to worry about this in north Texas and southern Oklahoma, other areas may be subject to seasonal frost. In these areas, the bottom of the footing must be below the frost line to prevent damage to the footing because of frost heave.

Types of Footings

The most common types of footings are:

Spot Footings: A spot or pad footing is used to support a single point of contact, such as under a pier or post. Spot footings are usually a 2' by 2' square pad, 10" to 12" thick, and made with reinforced concrete.
Continuous Spread Footing: A continuous spread footing is mainly used to provide a stable base around the perimeter of a building. Spread footings are often augmented with interior spot footings. The spread footing supports the weight of the exterior or foundation walls. The thickness of the footing provides the necessary strength for that support. The wide width of the footing base provides a large area with which to transfer the weight from the walls to the ground. This is key to preventing settlement.
Grade Beam Footing: A grade beam footing is a continuous reinforced-concrete member used to support loads with minimal bending. Grade beams are capable of spanning across non-load bearing areas, and are commonly supported by soil or pilings.Grade beam footings differ from continuous spread footings in how they distribute loads. The depth of a grade beam footing is designed to distribute loads to bearing points, while the width of a continuous spread footing is designed to transfer loads to the ground.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What Cold Weather Means for Your Foundation

2011-01-20T05:52:00.055-06:00

When we think about building foundation problems in north Texas, we tend to think about Summer. Perhaps it's our nearly perennial droughts or maybe it's because we're outside in the yard more and we notice the soil more. In any case, you're among good company if thoughts of foundation problems are few and far between this time of year.

But, for all the Summer conditions that lead to foundation problems, there's a Winter condition, too. First off, where soil contracts due to lack of moisture during the Summer, it can expand during the Winter as ice storms, rains, and cold temperatures keep more water in the soil. Expanding soil can push a foundation upward; this is caused heave.

And, while we don't have the brutally cold winters like Chicago or Minnesota, it does indeed get cold in north Texas and southern Oklahoma. Frost damage can occur to foundations with unheated slabs on grade. Frost heave is caused when ice forms within the soil, causing overall volume of soil to increase. When the volume of soil increases, it can heave the foundation.

What can you do to prevent problems like excess moisture and frost heave? Try the following:

Keep an eye out for the usual signs of foundation damage: cracks in the sheet rock, newly wrinkled wallpaper, stuck windows and doors, popped floor tiles, cracks in the fireplace, etc. Call a foundation repair professional if you see one or more of these problems and get an expert opinion right away.
The next time it rains, pull on a coat and some waterproof shoes or boots and take a walk around the exterior of your home. This is your chance to look for puddles against the foundation. You do not want water against the foundation! Wherever you find water pooling against the house, mark it with a stake or other marker. Hire someone to fix the drainage at these points. (Or, you can do it yourself.)
Check outdoor spigots and your sprinkler system for cracks and freezes. These items are your first line of defense come Spring and Summer, but now's the time that these items freeze and break.

These simple winter foundation maintenance tips can make a big difference between comfort, costs, and your family's piece of mind — so be sure to take a few minutes now so you won't have big problems later.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Foundation Repair Glossary, The Entire List

2011-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

As promised, here's our complete Foundation Repair Glossary in one great big list. Remember, if you have a question about any of these terms, be sure to ask us!

Active Zone: This is the depth of soil instability or movement, usually caused by changes in moisture. Sometimes, the active zone is referred to as the Seasonal Zone.
Bell Bottom Pier: A concrete pier that has a bell-shaped bearing surface.
Builder Piers: When the builder pours the grade beam for a pier and beam foundation, the builder piers are poured first. Builder piers are poured with a spacing of four to eight feet apart and to an average depth of three to four feet. These piers hold the grade beam in place. Sometimes builder piers fail, due to their low level of placement.
Clay
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.; Composed primarily of fine-grained minerals, clay is a naturally occurring component of soil. Clay expands greatly when mixed with water but then significantly contracts when water is withdrawn. Soil expansion and contraction is one of the leading causes of foundation failure.
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 Pier: Drilled piers involve drilling a hole at an angle to a predetermined depth under the slab, then using rebar to build a form in, then filling in the hole with concrete. If the conditions that caused the foundation to fail in the first place aren't remedied, then it's highly likely that the drilled pier will fail in time.
Elevation: Elevation is the series of measurements used to determine the difference in height between a central point and other points.
Engineers Report: An engineering report is done after a foundation has been repaired or before a structure is purchased. The report determines whether or not the foundation can perform its intended function and whether or not any remedial foundation repairs are necessary. In Texas, the report is a level "B" investigation (as described by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers). The report will be sealed and signed by a Professional Engineer. The engineering report usually includes: Foundation Analysis, Interior Observations, Exterior Observations, Conclusions, Recommendations, and Photo File.
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.
Footing: Footings, typically constructed of steel-reinforced concrete, is the bottom part of the foundation. The footing spreads the vertical loads from the building sitting on top of the foundation. With slab foundations, the footing is usually two feet and runs the entire perimeter of the slab.
Foundation: A home foundation is that part of the structure that is in direct contact with the ground. The foundation transmits the weight of the entire home and itself to the supporting soil.
French Drain: A drain that is used to collect water that migrates under ground. It is not used to collect large amounts of water from a heavy rain fall. French Drains are usually dug down 36-48 inches. Then 1 1/4” river rock is placed at the bottom of the trench and a 4” corrugated pipe is placed over this rock. Once in place, the trench is filled with river rock to approximately 4-6” below grade. The last 4-6” are then topped with soil and/or sod.
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.
Grade: The level of ground surface. The grade can also refer to the rise or fall of the ground over a given distance.
Grade Beam: The grade beam is the concrete support that goes around the perimeter of a Pier & Beam foundation. This is what home and bricks are supported by along the perimeters. The concrete grade beam is, on average, poured 18-20 inches below soil grade and is reinforced with rebar laid inside the concrete for additional support.
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.
Jacking: A method by which a static driving force is performed on a pile by jacks.
Live Load: This is the additional weight added to a structure by people, furniture, snow, ice, water, etc.
Mudjacking: A foundation repair process used by some foundation repair businesses where water and soil cement or soil-lime-cement grout is pumped beneath the slab to lift the slab to the desired position. We recommend mudjacking only for flat concrete surfaces such as garage floors, driveways, pool and patio decks.
Pier: A support under a structure's foundation. Piers can be made of wood, steel, concrete and sunk into the ground or resting atop ground (for smaller structures).
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.
Refusal: The condition reached when a pier can't be driven any farther, like when the pier reaches an impenetrable bottom such as rock). The term refusal may be used to indicate the specified minimum penetration per blow. Driving piers beyond refusal can damage the piers.
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.
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
Settlement: Settlement occurs when a part of the foundation drops below the original as-built grade.
Slab: A concrete foundation supported entirely by the surface soil. Slab foundations are popular in most new residential construction in areas with high-clay soils, such as that found in north Texas and southern Oklahoma.
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: The collection of loose material, including air, water, and solid particles, comprising the Earth's crust. It's comprised of a mixture of mineral and organic materials in solid, gaseous and aqueous states. When discussing foundation construction, maintenance, and repair, we are most concerned with the moisture content of the soil.
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.
Soil Stabilization: This is the process by which a contractor improves the natural properties of soil to make it a better base for construction. Soil stabilization reduces or eliminates erosion, controls the movement of water through a given parcel of soil, and seeks to moderate the soil's moisture content.
Structural Engineer: An independent registered professional engineer that specializes in civil or structural engineering.
Subsidence: The sinking of all or part of a structure's foundation.
Sump Pump: A pump which removes water from a sump pit. (The sump pits simply a hole into which water is drained; the sump pit is commonly found in the basement.)
Upheaval: The lifting of all or part of a structure's foundation.
Void Filling: A low pressure injection of grout slurry that fills the space between a foundation and the soil beneath the foundation.
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.

Foundation Repair Glossary, Part 4

2011-01-13T07:53:00.002-06:00

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.

Foundation Repair Glossary, Part 3

2011-01-11T07:55:00.002-06:00

If you've missed our Foundation Repair Glossary Part 1 and Part 2, then be sure to catch up now.

Slab: A concrete foundation supported entirely by the surface soil. Slab foundations are popular in most new residential construction in areas with high-clay soils, such as that found in north Texas and southern Oklahoma.
Soil: The collection of loose material, including air, water, and solid particles, comprising the Earth's crust. It's comprised of a mixture of mineral and organic materials in solid, gaseous and aqueous states. When discussing foundation construction, maintenance, and repair, we are most concerned with the moisture content of the soil.
Soil Stabilization: This is the process by which a contractor improves the natural properties of soil to make it a better base for construction. Soil stabilization reduces or eliminates erosion, controls the movement of water through a given parcel of soil, and seeks to moderate the soil's moisture content.
Subsidence: The sinking of all or part of a structure's foundation.
Sump Pump: A pump which removes water from a sump pit. (The sump pits simply a hole into which water is drained; the sump pit is commonly found in the basement.)
Upheaval: The lifting of all or part of a structure's foundation.
Void Filling: A low pressure injection of grout slurry that fills the space between a foundation and the soil beneath the foundation.

Do you have questions about our Glossary of Foundation Repair Terms? If so, then ask us and we'll get you the answer. Be sure to visit our website to learn more about foundation construction, maintenance, and repair.

Foundation Repair Glossary, Part 2

2011-01-06T09:35:00.002-06:00

This is the second part in our glossary of foundation repair terms. Be sure to check out Part 1.

Grade: The level of ground surface. The grade can also refer to the rise or fall of the ground over a given distance.
Jacking: A method by which a static driving force is performed on a pile by jacks.
Live Load: This is the additional weight added to a structure by people, furniture, snow, ice, water, etc.
Mudjacking: A foundation repair process used by some foundation repair businesses where water and soil cement or soil-lime-cement grout is pumped beneath the slab to lift the slab to the desired position. We recommend mudjacking only for flat concrete surfaces such as garage floors, driveways, pool and patio decks.
Pier: A support under a structure's foundation. Piers can be made of wood, steel, concrete and sunk into the ground or resting atop ground (for smaller structures).
Refusal: The condition reached when a pier can't be driven any farther, like when the pier reaches an impenetrable bottom such as rock). The term refusal may be used to indicate the specified minimum penetration per blow. Driving piers beyond refusal can damage the piers.
Settlement: Settlement occurs when a part of the foundation drops below the original as-built grade.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Foundation Repair Glossary, Part 1

2011-01-04T08:55:00.002-06:00

We'd thought we'd do something a little different over the next few posts and present a glossary of terms commonly used when discussing building foundation construction and repair. Let us know what you think!

Active Zone: This is the depth of soil instability or movement, usually caused by changes in moisture. Sometimes, the active zone is referred to as the Seasonal Zone.
Builder Piers: When the builder pours the grade beam for a pier and beam foundation, the builder piers are poured first. Builder piers are poured with a spacing of four to eight feet apart and to an average depth of three to four feet. These piers hold the grade beam in place. Sometimes builder piers fail, due to their low level of placement.
Clay: Composed primarily of fine-grained minerals, clay is a naturally occurring component of soil. Clay expands greatly when mixed with water but then significantly contracts when water is withdrawn. Soil expansion and contraction is one of the leading causes of foundation failure.
Drilled Pier: Drilled piers involve drilling a hole at an angle to a predetermined depth under the slab, then using rebar to build a form in, then filling in the hole with concrete. If the conditions that caused the foundation to fail in the first place aren't remedied, then it's highly likely that the drilled pier will fail in time.
Elevation: Elevation is the series of measurements used to determine the difference in height between a central point and other points.
Engineers Report: An engineering report is done after a foundation has been repaired or before a structure is purchased. The report determines whether or not the foundation can perform its intended function and whether or not any remedial foundation repairs are necessary. In Texas, the report is a level "B" investigation (as described by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers). The report will be sealed and signed by a Professional Engineer. The engineering report usually includes: Foundation Analysis, Interior Observations, Exterior Observations, Conclusions, Recommendations, and Photo File.
Footing: Footings, typically constructed of steel-reinforced concrete, is the bottom part of the foundation. The footing spreads the vertical loads from the building sitting on top of the foundation. With slab foundations, the footing is usually two feet and runs the entire perimeter of the slab.
Foundation: A home foundation is that part of the structure that is in direct contact with the ground. The foundation transmits the weight of the entire home and itself to the supporting soil.
French Drain: A drain that is used to collect water that migrates under ground. It is not used to collect large amounts of water from a heavy rain fall. French Drains are usually dug down 36-48 inches. Then 1 1/4” river rock is placed at the bottom of the trench and a 4” corrugated pipe is placed over this rock. Once in place, the trench is filled with river rock to approximately 4-6” below grade. The last 4-6” are then topped with soil and/or sod.
Grade Beam: The grade beam is the concrete support that goes around the perimeter of a Pier & Beam foundation. This is what home and bricks are supported by along the perimeters. The concrete grade beam is, on average, poured 18-20 inches below soil grade and is reinforced with rebar laid inside the concrete for additional support.

We'll keep these rolling over the next few posts. As always, if you have a question, feel free to ask us anything about foundation construction and repair!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Pier & Beam versus Slab Foundation, Part 2

2010-12-28T05:52:00.001-06:00

This is the second part in our multi-part series of posts, "Pier and Beam versus Slab Foundation." Be sure to read the first post in this series, if you haven't already.

In our last post, we discussed pier and beam foundations (sometimes called post and beam foundations), including what they were, and their pros and cons. In this post, we'll covered the basics of slab foundations.

The Basics

Slab foundations are usually the easiest (and thus the least expensive) foundations to build. The slab is a flat concrete pad poured directly on the ground. This takes minimal site preparation, very little formwork for the concrete, and less labor to build than a pier and beam foundation. Slab foundations work well on level sites in warmer climates (like what we have here in north Texas and southern Oklahama). Slab foundations can be problematic farther north because when the ground freezes during winter, this freezing may shift the slab. This may damage the structure sitting on the foundation, plumbing running through and under the foundation, and the foundation itself.

How Slab Foundations are Constructed

In most cases, the perimeter of the slab is about 2 feet deep. The interior of the slab can be as little as 4 or 6 inches thick. Below the slab sit a 4 to 6 inch layer of gravel. To keep moisture from the ground rising through the gravel to the slab, a 4-millimeter sheet of plastic is placed. Reinforcing bar (rebar) is laid out in a grid framework (supported a few inches above the plastic sheet) and the concrete is then poured over everything.

This type of foundation is commonly called a floating slab since it "floats" on the soil. What holds the foundation in place is the deeper layer of concrete around the perimeter of the foundation.

In places with common and severe winter freeze, the concrete along the perimeter extends below the frost line.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Slab Foundation

Slab foundations offer the following advantages:

Slab foundations usually take less time to construct.
Slab foundations require less prep work of the site.
Typically, slab foundations cost less, due to the two points above.
Since there is no crawlspace under the home, there's no risk of animals getting underneath the structure.
Since the slab sits on the ground, entries and exits to and from the structure are close the ground -- perhaps only a step or two. This is good news for those with disabilities or other restrictions that makes steps difficult to navigate.

On the other hand, there are a few drawbacks to slab foundations:

Since the plumbing and gas lines (if applicable) run directly through the concrete slab, it's more expensive to fix these problems below the home. Also, shifts in the foundation can break pipes (fresh water, sewer lines, and gas).
Once a foundation has failed, it can be more expensive to fix the foundation since piers have to be sunk below the home. (In contrast, a pier and beam already has piers, which may only need adjustment.)
Slab foundations cannot be used in homes where a basement will be built.
Slab foundations cannot be used in areas with significant or prolonged freezes. The seasonal upheaval and other shifts can destroy a slab foundation.
Concrete slabs can crack. These cracks can range from minor annoyances to major problems.

Concrete slabs can be a good choice for your home or business, but it has to be done right from the get-go, and only for the right type of conditions. If you have quesitons, feel free to contact us or shoot us a question.

Pier & Beam versus Slab Foundation, Part 1

2010-12-23T07:58:00.001-06:00

The two most common types of building foundations in north Texas and southern Oklahoma are pier & beam foundations and slab foundations (also known as "slab on grade" foundations). As a rule of thumb, most foundations for homes built during the 60's and before are pier and beam while those built later are slab foundations. So, why the change in foundation types, how exactly is each type of foundation constructed, and what are the pros and cons of each? We'll cover each question over the next several blog posts and, as always, you can ask us your questions about foundation construction, repair, and maintenance and we'll give you the answers.

Pier and Beam Foundations

Pier and beam foundations (sometimes called post and beam foundations) have a crawl space (typically at least 18 inches) between the home and the ground. The base of the building is uses a series of beams supported above the ground via piers. This type of foundation takes longer to construct than a slab foundation, but allows easier access to heating and plumbing utilities. (With a slab foundation, it may be necessary to break through the concrete slab foundation to service or repair plumbing and such.)

Since the piers separate the structure from the ground, the foundation is less susceptible (as compared to slab foundations) to damage from the ground shifting. When ground shifting occurs and the foundation needs adjusting, the piers are more easily adjusted than is a slab foundation.

The advantages of a pier and beam foundation are:

Provides easy access to service plumbing, electrical and other issues under the house.
In many cases, pier and beam foundation problems can be less expensive to fix than problems with slab foundations.
Some remodeling projects and home additions are more easily accomplished with pier and beam homes than with slab foundations.
Since the structure isn't resting directly on the ground and air is a natural insulator, the temperature within the structure may take less energy to maintain. That is, your home isn't sitting directly on the cold hard ground during the winter and, thus, your heating bills can be less.
Many people feel that floors supported by a pier and beam foundation have a bit more give and are therefore more comfortable. This is not to say the floor rebounds like a trampoline as you walk across it, but there is a difference according to many homeowners.

The disadvantages of a pier and beam foundation include the following:

Pier and beam foundations take longer to construct than slab foundations. This increases the cost of the home or other structure.
Floors supported by pier and beam foundations may creak and move.
Broken vent screens and insufficient other barriers may allow bugs and rodents to get under the structure.
Pier and beam foundations have to be vented properly to reduce moisture. Sufficiently high moisture levels can lead to mold, rotting wood, musty smells.

In our next post, we'll discuss slab foundations.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Do Steel Piers Rust?

2010-12-16T07:08:00.001-06:00

"Do steel piers rust?" That's not an uncommon question.

The short answer is "No."

Steel piers are galvanized, which prevents rust. When steel is galvanized, it is dipped in molten zinc, which forms a chemical bond to the steel. Galvanized steel products gain good protection against rust and failure when used above or below grade. You can tell when an item has been galvanized, due to its unique silver color.

Wikipedia has a pretty good, technical description of galvanization. You can read it here.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

A Great Soaker Hose Tip

2010-12-09T07:03:00.001-06:00

In our last post, we discussed soaker hoses and regulating the moisture around and under your foundation. This time around, we have a tip for a problem many people have when using soaker hoses.

What do you do if, by the time you've connected all your soaker hoses together, there's not enough pressure at the end of the last hose?

The first thing you need to do is understand why this occurs. The pressure is dropping at the end of the hose because there's too much hose for the amount of pressure provided at the water spigot. By the time the water reaches the farthest lengths of the hose, the pressure has dropped so much that the water isn't forced out the tiny perforations in the soaker hose.

The next thing to do is to see if there are additional water spigots you can use. Instead of stringing all your soaker hoses from one spigot, split your soaker hoses among two or more. If you're afraid of using all your spigots for just soaker hoses, you can purchase multi-headed spigots that attach to the spigot coming out of the wall. That way, you can hook up the soaker hose and still have a connection free for other uses when you're not using the soaker hose.

If you can't use additional spigots, you can alternate traditional hoses with soaker hoses. Since a traditional hose doesn't lose water from the tiny perforations like a soaker hose does, then it maintains a higher pressure through its length. With a combination of soaker hoses and regular garden hoses, you can reach the farther parts of your foundation and still maintain adequate pressure. You may have to run two sets of alternating hoses (call them Line A and Line B). Make sure when setting the two lines that where Line A's soaker hose(s) alternate with Line B's soaker hoses. When it comes time to use the soaker hoses (about once or twice a week, depending on soil conditions), connect Line A and run for 30 or more minutes, then disconnect and run Line B for 30 or more minutes. In this way, you'll water the entire perimeter of the foundation, yet each hose is only responsible for half the task.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Soaker Hoses, Revisited

2010-12-02T07:05:00.001-06:00

With all the rain we had in September, you might think we're nuts to be talking about soaker hoses again, but there's a good reason.

Soaker hoses are one of the best tools in the homeowner's toolbox for regulating soil moisture. Now that we're approaching the end of summer, it's a good time to get outside and check your soaker hoses for proper placement and overall condition. Make sure the soaker hose is buried about three inches deep and about six inches from the edge of the foundation so that the soil is soaked evening.

Do not place the hose against the foundation. Water placed next to the foundation (say, provided by a soaker hose placed against the foundation) runs through the cracks and pools at the bottom of the grade beam. (The grade beam is the thick portion of the foundation that is under the exterior walls.) The accumulation of water at the base of a foundation over time can reduce the soil's capacity to bear a load. When the soil loses enough load bearing capacity, the foundation will sink and your house can be damaged!

While you're checking the soaker hoses' position, don't forget to check the condition of the hose. Soaker hoses are pretty simple things. If you find a leak, tape it using duct tape (or similar tape -- ask at your local hardware store for appropriate substitutes). If the soaker hose is cracked or leaking from one of the fixtures or connections, replace the hose. The few dollars you spend on a new hose is a whole lot let than you'll spend on foundation repair.

Do you have questions about soaker hoses and your foundation? Then ask us! In fact, you can ask us anything about foundation construction, repair, and maintenance. We love questions, so ask away!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Root Barriers, Revisted

2010-11-25T07:00:00.001-06:00

What's a root barrier and why is it important? Root barriers are physical barriers that redirect tree root growth downward, thus eliminating surface rooting that can damage foundations, sidewalks, driveways, and other hardscapes.

Remember, roots travel away from the tree trunk as the tree searches for water. Often times, tree roots gravitate towards the building foundation. Once roots reach the foundation, they may press into the foundation and break it, lift it, lower it, or otherwise shift it. Each of these movements can cause significant damage to your foundation.

Also, note that the roots can suck the moisture from the soil, thereby leaving it dry. Dry soil contracts, which can cause the foundation to shift. This is another unpleasant and damaging side effect of tree roots interacting with your foundation.

A root barrier can prevent roots from causing this damage to your foundation.

Root barriers surround the structure and prevent tree roots from getting under the foundation. While you may consider a root barrier a "nice to have" rather than a necessity, keep in mind that root barriers are usually much, much less expensive than foundation repair.

Ace Foundation installs a tough, flexible material designed to resist cracking due to soil movement or new root pressure. (Other foundation repair companies may use concrete or plastic (corrugated vinyl, for instance), but we've found these to be less reliable than the material we use. If another foundation repair company recommends concrete, think back to any number of sidewalks you've seen, cracked and pushed up by tree roots!

Learn More with Our Root Barrier Video

We've prepared a great video which shows exactly what root barriers are and how they protect your home or business' foundation.

Watch the Video

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Piers for Pools (cont'd)

2010-11-18T10:31:00.001-06:00

This is the second part of a post concerning foundation piers for swimming pools. If you missed the first part, take a look at last Tuesday and get caught up.

Steel piers are the preferred choice when installing or augmenting piers for swimming pools. The advantages you get with steel piers for home and commercial & industrial foundations apply to swimming pools, as well. Steel piers don't require curing time like concrete does, so construction time is reduced. Steel piers require a smaller "footprint" when they are constructed. Steel piers are incredibly sturdy and a proven reliable solution.

One important thing to note about piers for pools is that the piers shouldn't be anchored to the pool. Why, you ask? Because the pool must be free to move a little bit. The pool is going to move no matter what; the key is that it's only allowed to move so much before it is stopped or stabilized. If the pool is anchored to the piers, then when the soil around and under the pool expands or contracts and pushes or drops the pool a bit, the pool is going to crack where the piers are anchored to it. This is because the pool is trying to move but is tied down at the piers.

Be sure to check out some of our slide shows for piers for pools and let us know what you think.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Piers for Pools

2010-11-11T10:29:00.001-06:00

We've talked about piers for pools before, but now's a good time to recap. If you have a swimming pool, then no doubt you've had a chance to enjoy it. Did you notice anything different about your pool while you were out there?

For instance, does the water line appear to be at a kilter? In other words, is it not level? If this is the case, then part of the pool is higher than the other, which gives the appearance of the water being lopsided. It may be subtle, maybe an inch or two across the entire pool, or it could be more pronounced. Whatever the degree, this means that one end of the pool or the other has shifted up (down). Much like when you hold a glass of water and tilt the glass, the water stays level but runs diagonally across the glass, your pool is tilting and the water appears to run diagonally (though, not as dramatically as that glass of water).

This is the same behavior as when part of the foundation of your house lifts or drops. It means that the soil in or around your pool (or building foundation) has swelled or shrunk and the foundation has moved as a result. And, just as with your house, the shifting of your pool can cause problems. Sometimes the problems are cosmetic. For instance, the lip of the swimming pool can rise above or drop below the surface of the sidewalk or deck around it. On the other hand, more serious problems can occur, such as stressing and breaking the plumbing or creating cracks.

What can you do when this happens? Well, you can address it just as you would with your residential foundation or commercial foundation: You can level and stabilize your swimming pool with foundation piers. You can prevent further problems and correct existing ones when your swimming pool is back to level and no longer moving in unpredictable directions and amounts. Adding piers to the pool or augmenting existing piers with new ones is the best way to protect your investment in one of the most expensive additions to your home, and it insures that you and your family can enjoy your pool -- rather than regretting it.

In our next post, we'll discuss the specifics of steel piers for swimming pools.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com. Or, feel free to ask us anything! We love questions -- and we've gotten some really good ones lately. Fill out our Ask Us Anything form and look for your answer in your email. Plus, we'll update this blog and our websitehttp://www.acefoundation.com with the questions and answers we've received and given over the last few months.

What to Do After Your Foundation Has Been Leveled

2010-11-04T08:14:00.001-05:00

We discuss quite often how to maintain your foundation and prevent foundation failure. Just as important, though, is knowing what to do after you've had foundation work done. Below are tips you should follow after your foundation has been leveled.

Maintain a consistent moisture level in the soil adjacent to the slab foundation. You can keep the moisture content consistent by evenly watering next to the foundation slab, especially during dry periods. There are a couple of ways to do this.

First, use a buried foundation watering system with the water line buried twelve inches away and at the depth of the grade beam. The system should have a rain cutoff switch and a flow control box with a filter (the filter prevents sediment from clogging the line).

Or, put soaker hoses around the edge of the foundation, seven to twelve inches from the grade beam. Remember to use the soaker hoses on a schedule or buy a battery-operated, programmable timer.

Of the two methods above, the second can waste more water due to evaporation and run-off. Finally, keep in mind that watering the foundation does not fix existing foundation problems -- it's only a maintenance method.
Make sure water drains away from the slab perimeter. Eliminate all standing water near the foundation slab. This evens out the moisture content underneath the slab and lessens soil movement beneath the slab foundation.
Be sure large trees near the concrete foundation slab get plenty of water. Avoid high growth of dense vegetation near the concrete foundation slab, as well. When you water trees -- especially in dry periods -- you help even out the soil's moisture content beneath and around the foundation slab.
Make sure that the slab is at least three to four inches above the finished ground, including flowerbeds and other landscaped areas. The flowerbeds should slope away from the slab. This prevents water from draining to underneath the foundation and keeps water from pooling at the edge of the foundation.
Make sure the plumbing system, potable water lines, and sewer lines are checked periodically for leaks. A licensed plumber can perform these tests for you. Remember, water leaks cause differential moisture content and ultimately contribute to foundation failure.

We hope you find these tips useful. A lot of them are also good maintenance ideas even if you haven't had your foundation leveled. Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Waffle Slab Foundation

2010-10-28T16:57:00.001-05:00

Waffle slab prior to concrete being poured.

In our last blog post, we discussed post-tensioning cable foundations. This time around, we'd like to discuss another development in building foundations, waffle slab foundations.

Waffle slab foundations are formed when beams are poured throughout the interior until the pattern resembles a waffle. While the jury may still be out when it comes to how effective post-tensioned cable foundations are, waffle designs have shown themselves to be more likely to create a stiff foundation which results in the whole house moving, rather than just a certain portion of it.

Another view of a waffle pod slab prior to concrete being poured.

Waffle pod foundation construction uses less concrete than traditional methods of edge beam and internal beam. This keeps construction costs down. Labor costs may be reduced, as well, since significant trenching (which is labor intensive) can be eliminated.

Unfortunately, this type of foundation requires more piers than traditional slab foundations when it comes time to level things. More piers means more expense. Please keep this in mind when you are considering the savings in construction — you may end up giving it all back when it comes time to fix the foundation.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Post-Tensioning Concrete Foundations

2010-10-21T11:20:00.001-05:00

Traditional rebar (but blue!) in place and ready for concrete to be poured for a foundation. Photo by Flickr user GeekMojo

Traditionally, concrete slab foundations are reinforced with steel bars, called re-bar (or rebar) -- short for "reinforcing bars." This technique of reinforcing concrete and similar materials originated in 1867 with a French florist named Joseph Monier. His experiments in making a stronger flower pot ultimately led to embedding reinforcing bars in the pots as they were formed and before they were kiln dried.

Post-tensioning concrete foundations are the next wave beyond traditional concrete slabs. With post-tensioning slabs, high-strength steel strands or cables, typically referred to as tendons, create a grid of steel cables that actively support the slab. Traditional rebar construction is "inactive" only really helps keep the slab intact after the slab has cracked. Slabs with post-tension cables are usually thinner and this can cut down on curing time and, ultimately, construction costs.

Post-tensioning being used in the construction of a concrete bridge for a highway. Photo courtesy of the Kansas Department of Transportation

Post-tension concrete foundations are used not only in home construction, but in commercial construction. Since this method combines structural integrity and thinner pads, office buildings can have thinner floors but retain comfortable ceiling heights, which in turn reduces total building height and weight load.

Caveats

With all that said, one must keep in mind that post tension foundations do not solve the underlying soil's ability to handle moisture. That is, just because a home or business is built on a foundation with post tension cables, it doesn't mean that the soil on which that foundation rests quits expanding and contracting as the moisture content changes. Post tension foundations can still shifting or even failing. You must still perform essential foundation maintenance, such as maintaining a consistent moisture content within the soil, keep tree roots at bay, and watching for signs of foundation failure like cracks in the wall, stuck doors and windows, wrinkled wallpaper, and popped or loose floor tiles.

If a builder tells you that a post tension foundation solves all your problems and you'll never have to worry, then run — don't walk — and find yourself another builder! Remember, the builder is trying to sell you the house, but you're the one who must live with the purchase for years to come.

Have questions or want more information? Then visit us at www.AceFoundation.com or give us a call at 972-272-1900.

Save That Paperwork!

2010-10-14T05:10:00.001-05:00

Did you recently have your foundation repaired? If so, there's a few things you need to do.

However, the number one thing you need to do is file away the paperwork from the repair job.

Put the paperwork somewhere safe yet easily accessible. There are a variety of reasons you may need it, including:

If you see new signs of foundation failure
Have a homeowners insurance claim that might be related to the foundation
You sell your home

You should include in the paperwork the following items:

Any receipts and invoices for the work performed
The original estimate
Any drawings and descriptions of the work performed
The warranty

In a pinch, you can always call the foundation repair company that did the work and ask them for a copy of the paperwork if and when you need it, but it's much easier and quicker if you can put your hands on the paperwork yourself.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

4 Reasons to Fix Foundation Problems Now

2010-09-23T08:20:00.050-05:00

Foundation problems never improve — they just get worse and worse. Once a crack appears in the foundation, it's nearly guaranteed that the crack will grow in size. Indeed, where there's one crack, there's probably others. The longer you wait to fix the problem, the bigger (literally) it's going to get.
Foundation cracks may allow pests and water to enter the structure. Bugs are bad enough, once moisture gets in the home, you have to consider the possibility of mold. Not only can mold cause wood rot, it can cause respiratory problems for you and your family.
A failing foundation causes all types of other problems in your home, too. Stuck windows and doors, wrinkled wallpaper, cracks in the sheet rock and ceiling, popped floor tiles, warped hardwood floors and gaps between the planks, cracks in your fireplace and exterior brick walls, and a host of other problems. The longer you put off dealing with a foundation problem, the more of these problems you'll face.
When it comes time to sell your home, any foundation failure will affect the sale price of your home significantly, not to mention the cost of fixing the other problems the foundation failure caused. Keep this in mind, too: Most banks don't grant a mortgage without some promise that a foundation failure will be fixed.

So, there you have it: 4 very good reasons to deal with your foundation problems now. Be sure to call Ace Foundation (972-272-1900) or visit our website and request a free estimate.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What is Cut and Fill and How It Affects Your Foundation

2010-09-16T04:10:00.004-05:00

Cut and fill refers to a process by which a sloping area is leveled prior to constructing a building. Specifically, part of the slope is removed (cut away) and the other area is filled with soil, gravel, etc.

If the fill material isn't compacted properly prior to the structure being built, the fill material will compact on its own over subsequent years. What's unfortunate about this is that a slab foundation will move as the fill material compacts. If the fill material is compacted before the slab foundation is poured, then there's little chance the fill will compact even further on its own.

As for the slope that was cut, there may be problems there, too. Chief among these is that clay soil that may have been under other soil is exposed once the area is cut. This allows water access to the clay and, as we've discussed before, water and clay are not good mixtures. Typically, additional water will cause clay soil to expand and the foundation will heave. During droughts, the clay will lose water and shrink, causing the foundation to settle. This expansion and contraction of the clay soil under the slab foundation spells trouble as the slab bucks up and down on the moving soil.

What can you do to prevent these problems? First, you can ask your builder about compacting the soil. In most cased, it's recommended that soil be compacted in layers no greater than four inches. If a layer of soil to be compacted is greater than four inches, it may be too thick to compact adequately before the structure is built. That leaves the rest of the compaction to occur after your home is sitting on the soil — and you don't want that.

Second, you can be proactive and maintain a constant moisture level in the soil supporting your foundation. This means using soaker hoses during the summer when the soil is dry, proper drainage to keep excess water away from the foundation during the Spring and Winter when rain is more common, and installing root barriers to prevent water-seeking tree roots from invading the soil under the house.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Chimneys and Piers

2010-09-09T08:01:00.001-05:00

Just like few people consider foundation piers for swimming pools, few people consider piers and their fireplace chimneys. Why on earth are piers and chimneys even a topic?

Believe it or not, a chimney is a pretty heavy structure. Add to that the fact that a chimney needs to be straight, connected to the house (the fireplace, specifically), and structurally sound to do its job correctly and safely, and you can begin to understand why ensuring that a chimney is properly supported is so very important.

The Foundation Performance Organization recommends that for a mid-sized concrete slab house, four piers are necessary (that is, one pier at each corner of the chimney). If the chimney doesn't have external brick or stonework and is only one story tall, it may be possible to get away with only three piers.

What does this mean to you? Well, for starters, when you are considering a new home being built, you should ask the architect and/or builder about the chimney and its support. If you are buying an existing home, you should make sure the building inspection addresses this. And, if you're getting a foundation repaired, you should make sure that there is adequate support provided for the chimney if the foundaiton repair concerns the area containing the chimney. Always go with your gut -- if a foundation repair contractor tries to tell you that you need less than four piers (or three, if it's a lightweight chimney), then you should seek another contractor.

Do you have a question about foundation repair? Then ask us. We'll give you the answer and share the knowledge with others.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Does Foundation Repair Require a Permit from the City?

2010-09-02T05:57:00.019-05:00

Yes, yes, yes!

We'll get this out of the way first off: Look over any bid you get from a foundation repair contract and make sure there's a line item for building permit!

If there's no mention of a building permit in the bid, then ask the contractor about it. If they tell you it's not necessary, you can be 99% sure the contractor is trying to shave the price of the bid. In nearly every municipality in north Texas and south Oklahoma, a building permit is needed when foundation repairs are performed. (Notable exceptions include Rowlett and Rockwall, both in Texas.)

So, what happens if the contractor doesn't get a permit, the work is performed, and the city finds out? First, the city can fine both the contractor and the property owner (homeowner). And, if that wasn't enough of a problem, the city can stop all non-permitted foundation repair work until the proper permit is obtained.

So, again: if the foundation repair contractor hasn't mentioned a building permit, you should ask. Failure to do so could cost you money and delay fixing your foundation!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What Are Pressed Concrete Piers?

2010-08-28T02:26:00.002-05:00

Many foundation repair contractors used pressed concrete piers. Pressed concrete piers are concrete cylinders that are driven to refusal in clay soil. (In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, "refusal" normally occurs around eight to fifteen feet deep and depending on the weight of the foundation and the soil moisture.)

Why are pressed concrete piers popular with so many foundation repair companies? Pressed piers are usually require less materials and less labor, thus reducing the cost of the job. Other reasons a contractor may suggest pressed concrete piers include:

The equipment used to install pressed concrete piers is about one-fourth to one-fifth the cost of the equipment used for steel piers. (Viewed another way, it means that someone can get into the foundation repair business way cheaper when all they offer is pressed piers.)
Along those same lines, most foundation repair contractors don't have a workshop capable of making steel pier brackets or cutting sections of high carbon tubular steel.
And, finally, it's much easier for "ethically challenged" contractors can take short cuts when working with pressed concrete pilings, thus reducing the amount of time they spend on a job and the cost to themselves.

Here at Ace Foundation, we typically eschew pressed concrete piers and recommend either traditional steel piers or helical steel piers. We just feel that steel piers provide an overall better solution for foundation failures.

Do you have a question about pressed concrete piers? Then ask us! We'll be happy to answer your question and share the answer with others. Get even more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Vetting a Foundation Repair Company

2010-08-19T04:15:00.055-05:00

Foundation repair intimidates a lot of homeowners. It's not well understood by most people, it's not glamorous or showy (like getting a new hardwood floor), it's expensive, and there's a lot of less-than-qualified foundation repair businesses out there.

However, choosing a reliable and experienced foundation repair company is just like choosing other home maintenance and repair professionals. You simply do your homework, interview several businesses, and cover your butt. Below are specific steps you can take to make find a good foundation repair company.

Check out the company's website.

Why start with the foundation repair company's website? Because it'll contain clues about the work they do, who they are, and how reliable they might be. Look for the following on their website:

How long have they been in the foundation repair business? Look for a company that has several years experience. After all, you don't want to be someone's learning experience, do you?
If a company truly puts the customer first, then they'll offer one or more payment options. A payment option also shifts some of the financial risk from you to them, thus giving you a bit of leverage if you ever need it.
Does the company offer a warranty and guarantee? Is the warranty transferable to a new homeowner should you sell your house? What exactly does the warranty and guarantee cover? Is a copy of the warranty and guarantee available online? If not, can you call the company and get a copy?

Check out the Better Business Bureau.

Visit the Better Business Bureau website and start your research: http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews/. Nearly every reliable home repair and maintenance company is a BBB member. So, if you don't find the company listed on the BBB website, you should think twice about doing business with them.

Once you find the company on the BBB website, check out their profile, looking at their rating. Also, have they won any awards? Are there any customer complaints?

Ask some essential questions:

Will the piers be installed to a minimum of 12 feet deep, unless they hit rock first? Will the foundation repair company put that in writing in the contract?
If they promise to go "to rock or refusal", can they tell you how deep it is to rock in your area?"
Will they put in the foundation repair contract that you and the company will not accept "refusal" that is reached at less than 12 feet deep?
How are the piers held together and reinforced?
What do other Independent Engineers think of their piers?

Look for a free consultation or estimate.

A respectable company will offer a free consultation, a free estimate, or both. Any company that charges for an estimate is more interested in taking your money than in your family's home and your peace of mind.

Go with your gut.

Last but not least, go with your instincts. If you feel that a foundation repair company is pushing too hard, doesn't seem to have the right answers, or in any other way raises a red flag with you, reconsider your choice to do business with them. Most of us have a decent sense of what constitutes good business and what does not — Use that gut feeling to steer you in the right direction.

With careful research and common sense, you should be able to pick a good foundation repair company.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

2 Great Videos on Landscaping Drainage and Your Foundation

2010-08-12T16:09:00.002-05:00

This will be the last of the videos for awhile, but these two are really important. Both deal with your landscaping, the soil around your house, and how its drainage affects your foundation.

And, here's the second video.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

A Short Video on Foundation Repair

2010-08-12T04:01:00.001-05:00

If you have about two minutes, you might enjoy this short video on the basics of foundation repair. This video shows the use of piers for repair, as opposed to void filling or mud jacking. (We at Ace Foundation Repair typically use piers and don't recommend void filling or mud jacking.)

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Pier and Beam Video

2010-08-05T06:47:00.020-05:00

Here's a video we found that we think does a pretty good job of describing a pier and beam foundation.

Note the reference to the clay soil, which is common in north Texas and southern Oklahoma.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Why Mud Jacking is a Bad Idea

2010-07-29T15:24:00.001-05:00

Mud jacking is usually positioned as the least expensive method of foundation repair. While this may be true in the short run, it doesn't always hold up over time. Below are four reasons why you having your foundation mud jacked is a bad idea:

Mud jacking may cause serious foundation problems in regions with lots of clay soil (like what we have in North Texas). If there's a plumbing leak or a lot of rain, the clay soil's moisture content will increase and the ground will swell. This swelling causes upheaval on and through the void fill material and, in turn, causes the foundation slab to heave.
It's possible to "overlift" the foundation. This happens when the mudjack technician doesn't monitor the amount of slurry used or miscalculates how much is necessary. Once a foundation has been overlifted, there's no economical way to remove the excess slurry or otherwise correct the problem.
The slurry used in mudjacking may find its way into the septic line. At that point, you've traded your foundation problem for a plumbing problem.
Slurry can find it's way through the slab via the space around plumbing pipes. Believe it or not, the mud jacking slurry can enter a wall and rise until it blows out the sheet rock. Slurry can also push push upbath tubs and shower pans.

Well, three you have it: Four reasons why we don't recommend mud jacking.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Sewer Lines and Your Foundation

2010-07-22T06:56:00.001-05:00

An acquaintance of ours is currently in the process of selling their home and, as is par for the course in such matters, an inspection was performed. One of the items that came out of the inspection was a suspected leak in the sewer lines leaving the guest bathroom. Of course, they called a licensed professional plumber who performed the requisite tests and did, indeed, discover there was at least one leak in the sewer system. Ultimately, the plumber had to drill through the foundation, find the exact placement of the leak, and fix it. In the end, the plumber found three (!) leaks, all of which were fixed without much drama.

In this particular case, the leaking sewer line had started to cause a slight upheaval in the soil. Had the leaks gone unaddressed for much longer, though, damage was almost certain to happen. Luckily for both the buyer and the seller, the sewer problem was discovered and fixed.

What makes sewer line problems so frustrating is that they're very hard to detect directly. Were the problem with a fresh water line, you'd see an increase in your water bill and you'd be curious. A sewer line leak isn't going to show up on your water bill or any other utility -- it just sits there under your foundation causing trouble.

So, what can you do? You can keep an eye for the typical signs of foundation problems and, if you think something is up (or down!), call a reputable foundation repair company (like Ace Foundation Repair>) and have them look at the situation. Odds are, they will be able to figure out why your foundation has problems. If it's related to the plumbing, then they'll recommend you contact a licensed plumber, who will fix the plumbing problem. Once that's done, the foundation can be fixed and then your home will be in good shape.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

A Big Commercial Foundation Repair Job

2010-07-13T10:38:00.002-05:00

We recently completed a large foundation repair job for a North Texas school district. We were able to capture some pictures of the work in progress! If you have any questions, feel free to ask us.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

First Hurricane of the Year

2010-07-08T09:27:00.022-05:00

If you remember, we discussed Texas summers and the potential for heavy and sustained rains and, lo and behold, we've gotten our first hurricane of the 2010 hurricane season. Hurricane Alex came ashore last week and we here in North Texas have gotten plenty of rain.

How did your property hold up? Did you take the opportunity to get out and look for puddles around your foundation? Did you get a chance to see how water flowed through and around your property?

We're still expecting rain the next few days, so don't let the next few days slip by without doing a basic look-see of your foundation. Got any questions about what else you should be looking for? Then ask us about your foundation. We love questions and we love answering them. Ask us anything and we'll send you an answer and share the information with others.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What to do AFTER You've Had Your Foundation Leveled

2010-07-06T07:15:00.046-05:00

If you've had your foundation leveled, you may think you're out of the woods. Well, you are for now, but that doesn't mean you can forget about your foundation altogether. You wouldn't get the brakes fixed on your car and then forget basic periodic auto maintenance, would you?

So, what do you do after foundation repair? Easy! You do the same things you normally do: keep the moisture constant, look for signs of new problems, and consult a structural engineer when you are considering additions to your home. Specifically, you should take these steps:

Make sure the soil around and under your house foundation keeps a constant moisture content. You know the drill, we've covered it numerous times.
Take time to look over your house and see if there are any new signs of foundation failure. We're not trying to scare you or say that the foundation repair work you've just had done subpar; we saying that if you've had one part of the foundation fixed or level, that doesn't mean the rest of the foundation (or the house) is immune to problems. Look for cracked walls, cracked or popped floor tiles, wrinkled wallpaper, creaking hardwood and laminate floors, and other issues.
Review your landscaping and make sure you have no trees or large shrubs adjacent to the foundation. If necessary install root barriers.

Remember, you've just spent quite a bit of money and time getting your foundation fixed. Protect that investment and the rest of your home by performing basic foundation maintenance. Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Rainy Season Isn't Over, Yet. (Part 2)

2010-07-01T07:10:00.014-05:00

In the last post, we discussed some of the heavier rains we can get even in summer and what you can do about them. Specifically, we discussed drainage and what you can do to keep your foundation in good shape. Today, we continue those thoughts.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, water can still get under a slab. What do you do then? Here's a few thoughts:

Install Moisture Barriers: Moisture barriers are vertical layers of plastic that are buried in the ground. As water flows up against a moisture barrier, it is stopped and prevented from getting under a home.
Install French Drains: French Drains are trenches filled with gravel that have a drain line buried in the gravel. French drains are designed to intercept and remove underground water.
Install Under Slab Drains: Rarely, it is necessary to tunnel under a foundation and install drains in thetunnels to collect and remove water. Drainage tunnels are dug by hand and typically measure 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep.

If you have more questions about what you can do, then ask us. Plus, get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Rainy Season Isn't Over, Yet.

2010-06-29T07:05:00.037-05:00

Summer is finally here and it's going to be a hot one, but that doesn't mean no more rain. While we're several hundred miles inland, we still get rains from the occasional Texas or Louisiana tropical depression, storm, or hurricane. What's interesting about these rains is that they're heavy and can last several days. It's rains like this that really put your drainage systems (and ultimately your foundation's well-being) to the test.

Here's a handful of tips to make sure your drainage (and your foundation) are ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at it.

Installs Gutters and Downspouts: These are the first things added as they are the easiest way to drain a foundation.
Adjust Slopes: The next step is, if possible, to slope the ground away from the foundation. Typically a slope of an inch a foot for each 4 to 5 feet is adequate as long as water is not allowed to stand within 10 feet of a foundation.
Installs Drains: If grading is not possible, area drains, drains that collect surface water are installed. In some situations, shallow French Drains are used as a solution.
Water Direction: Advanced's focus is to, when possible, direct water into a street, drainage ditch, or swale. A swale is simply a very shallow ditch that is used to carry off water.

Look for more tips in our next post! Or, get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Use This Checklist Before Signing a Foundation Repair Contract

2010-06-24T02:07:00.002-05:00

Since many home owners and other property owners are about to start on foundation repair (and other projects), now is a good time to think about the contracts you may see. Don't ever sign a contract without reading it first or having it explained to you. With that said, there's several things you need to consider before signing that foundation repair contract. Here's a short checklist you can use to see if things measure up.

Ask an independent structural engineer (or two or three) for recommendations of a good foundation repair business. Look in the local phone book under "Structural Engineers" or search the web. Ask if the structural engineer is independent or under the employment of a foundation repair company. You want an unbiased opinion and recommendation, so you'll want an independent structural engineer.
Get at least three local references from the foundation repair company you are considering using. Call these references and find out what they think of the price, the service, the clean-up, etc.
Ask if the foundation repair companies you're considering handle all the necessary permits. It's rare that they'd make the property owner do it -- but be sure to ask. Red flags should go up if they tell you no permits are needed.
Find out if permit fees are included in the price quoted in the contract. You don't want to be surprised with additional bills or invoices once the work is under way!
Make sure you understand when the work will start and when it will end. You should have firm dates for both milestones.
Is the foundation repair business insured and/or bonded? Did they have proof of this?
Does the contract explain exactly what will be done, how many piers will be used, and a description of other materials used? Does the contract explain what type of piers will be used? Does the contract explain what will be done once the work is completed? Is the foundation repair company responsible for clean-up and so forth? Is the cost of clean-up included in the price given in the contract?
Is there a down payment required? Do you understand how much is required for the down payment and how the payment should be made?
Is there a schedule of payments? Red flags should go up if the foundation repair contractor is asking for full payment before the work is completed.

Finally, go with your gut feeling and intuition. If something doesn't feel write about the contract or the transaction or the foundation repair company, then stop and address the problem. Remember, it's your home or business and you will have to live with (or work in) the building long after the contractor is gone.
Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Last Video on Preventing Water Damage to Your Foundation

2010-06-22T03:17:00.005-05:00

Okay, one last video and then we'll get back to our regular posts. This video shows a few common mistakes made with landscaping. These mistakes tend to trap water or direct it in such a way that will eventually damage your home. View the video and let us know what you think.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com. And, as always, remember that you can ask us anything about foundation construction, maintenance, and repair.

Video on Preventing Water Damage to your Foundation

2010-06-17T03:02:00.022-05:00

Below is another good video about you and your foundation. In this, you can learn about the importance of making sure the ground around your foundation slopes away from your home or business.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Great Video on Pier and Beam Foundation Construction

2010-06-15T08:27:00.005-05:00

We found this great video over at 5min.com about the construction of a pier and beam foundation. Watch it and tell us what you think. Don't forget, you can always ask us anything when it comes to foundations.

Pier Beam Foundation

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Differential Settlement

2010-06-10T07:53:00.036-05:00

"Differential settlement" means one part of a building foundation moves at a different rate or for a different amount than other parts of the foundation or wall. Differential settlement can damage the foundation or wall with cracks and other symptoms of wall movement. These cracks can run generally up and down or in a stair step fashion (up then over, then up, then over, and so on).

These cracks can appear at anytime during a home's life. Sometimes they appear right after a house is built and the soil is compacting or shifting with the new weight on top of this. This can be indicative of shortcuts taken during construction — either with the piers or with the fill dirt or site preparation.

Problems later on are signs of soil expansion and contraction. As we've discussed before, soil expansion and contraction is a result of uneven moisture content and frequency.

You can read even more about differential settlement at Inspectapedia.com or you can contact us.

What's Going on With the Wallpaper?

2010-06-08T07:09:00.042-05:00

Who would think your foundation would have anything to do with your wallpaper? Hang on and we'll explain.

When your foundation shifts — either up or down or back and forth — it doesn't necessarily move the entire house and what does move doesn't always move in the same direction or the same amount! What this means for your walls and floors is that the angles between the walls and the ceilings and the floors are no longer 90 degrees. To complicate things, the walls or ceilings or floors (or two of or all three) can bow out or bend inward. When this happens, your sheet rock may crack or your wallpaper may wrinkle or stretch.

If your wallpaper was picture perfect at one time but now it's stretched or wrinkled, then you may want to consider having your foundation inspected. If you have wall paper problems plus you have one or more doors or windows sticking, or you see cracks in the walls, or you see other symptoms, then it's definitely time for a foundation inspection.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Types of Foundation Damage

2010-06-03T01:00:00.096-05:00

A foundation failure can exhibit itself in a number of ways. Some types of foundation damage are easy to see, such as cracks in the wall. Others, however, are not so obvious (loosened plumbing under the house which in turn causes slow leaks). Below, we'll look at several types of damage caused by a moving or broken foundation.

Cracks in one or more walls

If you find cracks in your walls, then that's a sign that there is a fundamental shift in at least part of the wall and one part is pulling away from another or one wall is pulling away from another. This can happen when part of your foundation shifts (by moving sideways, downward or upward, or both) yet the whole structure doesn't move in the same direction at the same speed. In other words, part of the house has moved horizontally or vertically and the rest hasn't.

Stuck Doors and Windows

Doors and windows get stuck in their frames when the frames are no longer square. In some cases, the frame is narrower at one end than the other. In other cases, the frame can be twisted. With the naked eye, you might not be able to see these deformations in the door frame or window frame, but the door or the window can certainly tell the difference. If the door gets lodged in the frame and won't open or it won't close all the way without hitting the frame, then the door frame is out of square. If the window is stuck shut or won't open all the way, then the window frame is not square. Much like the cracked walls discussed above, bent door and window frames can be caused by a foundation shifting. Indeed, bent frames are often found in cracked walls because a shift in the wall can cause a frame to go out of square.

Cracked or Loose Floor Tiles

Homeowners have a surprising capacity to overlook cracks in the walls because the cracks happen slowly. They may even paint over the cracks and ignore them as long as the crack stays covered (usually, not for too long). As for stuck doors and windows, homeowners will mentally note a stuck door or window and learn to work around it. Cracked floor tiles are something altogether different. It's always annoying to step over a loose tile and a cracked tile stares you in the face every time you walk into the room.

Cracked or popped tiles indicate the foundation is buckling, bulging, or sinking.

Creaking Sounds, Popping Sounds

Most of us had been in bed late at night and heard an occasional creak and said, "Well, the house is settling." If your house creaks fairly often and especially if you hear popping noises, then the house -- at least part of it -- is definitely settling! The popping you hear is most likely the joists, beams, and/or studs moving or cracking as pressure is put on certain parts of the structure. You might also hear a floor tile, stone work, and other items cracking or coming loose. This pressure on your home is not good. When parts of the house move one way while other parts move the other way, it means your home is pulling apart or one part is pushing against another. This movement and those strange sounds are often signs of foundation problems.

A spike in you water bill

If your water bill goes up yet you're not using any more water than usual, it's possible that there's a leak in your plumbing. If you've looked about your home and not found any water any where (don't forget to check in the yard, too!), then the leak may be underground. This can happen when the soil shifts and a water pipe cracks or it pulls apart at a fitting. This can also happen when the foundation ships and cracks the pipe or a fitting. Not only does this waste water and run up your utility bill, it can further damage your house by soaking the soil in or around the foundation, causing it to wash away or to push upwards. If your water goes up for no apparent reason, call a plumber and have them run a test.

Ask Us About Your Home

Do you see one or more of the symptoms mentioned above? Do you see anything else that concerns you? Don't forget that you can ask us anything about foundation repair. There's no obligation and there's no sales pitch. We'll answer your question via telephone (if you leave your phone number) or email. So, ask away!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

A Foundation Repair Nightmare

2010-06-01T07:20:00.001-05:00

Usually, we provide you with tips and other useful information concerning foundation repair and foundation maintenance. On occasion, we also post pictures of us at on a job site or here in the shop.

However, today we'll depart from the usual and link to something pretty upsetting: a foundation repair job gone horribly, horribly wrong. It's stories just like this one that remind us to remind you to do the following whenever you engage any type of building professional:

Be sure you research the contractor via the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Angie's List, and a variety of other sources.
Read and -- most importanly -- be sure you understand your contract. You did get a contract, right?
Listen to your gut. If something doesn't sound right or doesn't feel right, then speak up. Remember, it's your house and you'll be there long after the contractor is gone. If necessary, call another professional and get a second opinion before you sign anything and before you plunk down any money.
Read the warranty thoroughly and make sure you understand it. If there's problems later, you want to be crystal clear on what's expected of both you and the contractor.
Get references, if possible.
If any of your neighbors, friends, or family have had foundation work, ask them who they used and if they'd recommend that foundation repair company. Also, ask them about the foundation repair experience and what to expect.

So, with that said, grit yourself and read of this family's terrible foundation repair story. Granted, this story is the exception rather than the rule, but it does a good job of illustrating what can go wrong.

Get more information about foundation repair and our company by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Our Shop

2010-05-27T11:57:00.004-05:00

Here's some pictures of our shop, here in Garland (though we serve all of North Texas!).

Do you have a question about us or foundation repair in general? Don't forget that you can ask us anything!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

It's Time to Find the Soaker Hose!

2010-05-25T06:02:00.073-05:00

With temperatures in the North Texas area -- particularly in the DFW Metroplex -- hitting the mid- to high nineties, it's time to run through a list of things to do as summer settles in.

Naturally, you've done the obvious things:

Air conditioner charged and running, plus new air filter(s) in place? Check!
Roof vents and attic ventilators uncovered, clear, and ready? Check!
Swimming pool clean and pumps running? Check!
Grill cleaned and plenty of charcoal on hand? Check!

Now, how about those less obvious items? How about taking care of the foundation? While not one of the most glamorous things you can do around the house as we get ready for summer, taking care of your foundation is one of the most important. Neglect the simple things like your foundation now and you'll be paying for it (literally!) down the road.

One of the easiest yet most effective ways to ensure your foundation stays in good shape is to regulate the moisture in the soil in and around the foundation. While you can't control how hot it gets, you can control how much moisture is in the soil. To do this, you water the soil around your house foundation on a regular basis throughout the summer and our seasonal drought period. The best tool for the job is a soaker hose, which distributes the water consistently and slowly.

The best way to use a soaker hose is to bury the hose three inches deep. You want to place the hose six inches from the edge of the foundation so that the soil is soaked evening.

Do not place the hose against the foundation. When the soil around your foundation is dried and cracked, water placed next to the foundation (via a soaker hose) runs through the cracks and then pools at the bottom of the grade beam (the thick portion of the foundation that is under the exterior walls). If this condition persist long enough, then this accumulation of water at the base of a foundation can reduce the soil's load bearing capacity. When the soil loses enough load bearing capacity, the foundation will sink and your house can be damaged.

During our hot and dry summers, it's necessary to water more. You'd be surprised at the amount of water necessary to keep a foundation stable during our hot Texas summers. Keep in mind that your landscaping has an effect, as well. One large tree (like our beautiful oaks and pecans, found all over North Texas) can pull up to 150 gallons of water from the soil each day. And, don't forget what bushes, shrubs, and other plants also remove water from the soil.

The trick to using soaker hoses to keep the soil west is consistency. You do not want to water extensively, let the soil dry out, and then water again. If you do that, you are only contributing to the shrink-and-swell cycle of the soil. Be sure to water on a consistent schedule and keep the soil wet. (Be sure to poke a finger into the soil or poke around with a stick. You want the moisture to go beyond just the surface.) You may find it necessary to run the soaker hoses almost daily during the peak of summer.

If you're concerned about your water bill, keep this in mind. Water will cost you cents a day but foundation repair can run into the thousands! Decide which you'd rather bear: a few cents a day or a big wallop in the wallet all at one time later.

So, do some grilling, do some laps in the pool, enjoy your air conditioning and don't forget to take care of your foundation so your home is trouble free and enjoyable.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

See What Tree Roots Can Do to Your Foundation

2010-05-20T04:42:00.005-05:00

Have you ever walked down thge sidewalk or the street and seen a flower poking its head out of a crack? How about something larger? In older neighborhoods it's not uncommon to see concrete slabs of sidewalk pushed up and cattywampus by tree roots.

Now, picture all that happening under your house. You may think that because your house is bigger and heavier than a section of sidewalk, it's immune to heaving and other movement caused by tree roots. However, your slab foundation is just as susceptible to damage by tree roots as the sidewalk in front of your house.

What can you do to prevent foundation problems due to tree roots? Well, when you're planning on new landscaping, make sure trees and other plants (even shrubs can damage your foundation) are planted sufficiently far away from the foundation.

To prevent roots from encroaching under your foundation, you should install root barriers. Root barriers stop tree roots from getting under your concrete slab foundation and pulling moisture from the soil, which can cause the foundation to settle. Root barriers can be made of concrete or plastic (corrugated vinyl, for instance). Ace Foundation, however, installs a tough, flexible material designed to resist cracking due to soil movement or new root pressure.

Visit our website to get more information about root barriers and view a great video.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Photo by Flickr user Wouter Verhelst.

What Type of Soil Does Your House Sit On?

2010-05-18T07:00:00.002-05:00

If you're curious about the soil on which your home or business sits, there's a few places you can find out.

First, check out the Web Soil Survey. The site is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). According to the site:

The site provides access to the largest natural resource information system in the world. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for more than 95 percent of the nation’s counties and anticipates having 100 percent in the near future. The site is updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source.

In this blog post, we'll explore the Web Soil Survey (WSS).

To use the Web Soil Survey, browse to http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/ and click the big green "Start WSS" button. (Note: When we tried it, the map presented after the green button produced an error in Mozilla Firefox but worked just fine in Microsoft Internet Explorer.)

You'll need to enter your address and wait for the system to generate a map. Next, use the AOI ("Area of Interest") tools (see the icons at the top of the map) to draw a square or other shape around the address or neighborhood in which you're interested.

Next, go to the top of the page and click the "Soil Map" tab. If you haven't created an AOI, you'll get an error message. If all goes well, it won't seem like much happened. However, if you'll look at the left side of the screen, you'll see that the WSS has provided information about the AOI, including the county name, number of acres in the AOI, and the "Map Unit Name." (In our tests, we picked an area near downtown Dallas and our map unit name was "urban land.")

Click on the next tab, "Soil Data Explorer." The system may take a moment or two to load the page, but be patient. There are 5 tabs under this report.

By default, information for the first tab, Suitabilities and Limitations for Use, is displayed. The left side of the screen will switch to a list of data categories, including Building Site Development, Construction Materials, Land Classifications, Vegetative Productivity, and Water Management. (There's also Military Operations, Wildlife Management, and a host of other interesting items!)

What we're looking for is a piece of data called the linear extensibility, which is the amount of shrink-swell of the soil. So, click on the tab labeled "Soil Properties and Qualities" and scroll down (on the the left side of the screen) to category called "Soil Physical Properties." Expand the category and you'll find "Linear Extensibility" nine items down. There's no value given here, but there's a good description of linear extensibility.

To get the actual report, you'll need to go to the top of the page and click on the tab "Shopping Cart (Free)." Note that even though you're click on a button titled "Shopping Cart" you do not need to pay for the report if you simply want it displayed on your screen.

Review the parameters on the left side of the page (page size, etc.) and then click on the "Check Out" button (upper left corner). If your web browser has a pop-up blocker installed, you'll need to disable it so the report can pop up.

You can play with the soil explorer and add more information to your report. In any case, there's tons of information to be had with this tool and you'll have access to much of the same data an engineer would do when examining your property and preparing a report.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Do Steel Piers Rust?

2010-05-13T06:22:00.004-05:00

Steel piers (and their cousin, helical steel piers) are steel pipes which are driven to bedrock or a firm and stable layer of soil. The piers are then attached to your slab with steel brackets. A common question, then, is "Do steel piers rust?" After all, after all the expense of adding steel piers to fix and stabilize your foundation, you don't want the piers to rust, right?

The answer is "No." There are two reasons why.

Galvanized Metal

First, steel piers can be galvanized and, as a result, don't rust.

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.

Pipe Thickness and Grade

Galvanization is one way to protect piers, especially in areas close to the coast or where the soil has caustic elements. In North Texas, though, galvanizing the piers (which makes the piers more expensive) isn't usually necessary. Instead, the foundation repair contractor can use pipes of sufficient thickness and grade. For instance, the piers we at Ace Foundation Repair use are predicted to have 100 year lifespan in our soils.

Summary

Depending on the soil on which your home or business is located and other factors, your foundation piers can be protected by either galvanization or by the use of the appropriate pipe thickness and grade. So, rest assured: your steel piers will not rust!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Photo by Flickr user NomadicLass.

Puddles, puddles, puddles

2010-05-11T02:54:00.004-05:00

If we're not there yet then we're pretty close. I'm talking about the North Texas rainy season! Every year, we get a few months' rain and then it's time for a long hot and dry summer.

It's this very cycle that does our foundations in, here in North Texas. The soil expands with the spring rains and then contracts with the summer drought. Of course, as the soil moves it affects your building's foundation, and that's very rarely a good thing.

Over the next month or so, take the opportunity to walk around your home or business after a good rain and look for puddles and how the water drains on your property. Puddles up against the foundation are a bad thing. You want the water to drain away from the building.

There are a variety of ways to fix a drainage problem. Be sure to visit our website and read more about drainage systems and your foundation. We've even got a great video about root barriers and how they affect drainage and your foundation.

And, don't forget: You can ask us anything about foundations. Complete the quick and easy form and we'll get back to you. No pressure, no sales -- just answers.

Photo by hagwell. See more at his Flickr page.

More About Piers for Pools

2010-05-06T03:14:00.001-05:00

With summer just about here and backyards and pools all over North Texas getting spruced up and ready for friends and family, it's time to think about swimming pool problems and what needs to be done about them.

Of course, some pool problems are easier to fix than others. For instance, if the pump goes out, then you fix or replace it. However, structural problems with your swimming pool are not so simple.

Structural problems with your pool exhibit many of the same symptoms as foundation problems do in a house. For instance, you may notice tiles popping out of place or you may see cracks in the walls. You may even notice plumbing problems — a sinking or shifting pool can break or bend pipes, causing leaks and other issues.

Piers and Your Swimming Pool

Like your home or commercial structure, a swimming pool requires support. Given that you cannot use a pier and beam foundation for a pool (!), the pool must be supported and stabilized using piers.

Helical steel piers are one option for your pool. Helical piers are steel piers with a helix for driving them into the ground. Of the many advantages of steel piers over drilled piers is that helical piers have a smaller shaft surface area. This means smaller holes in and around your pool and landscaping.

For more information on piers for pools, be sure to see our earlier posts and visit our website.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Plumbing Problems and Your Building Foundation

2010-05-04T13:37:00.000-05:00

Your home is a system of connected subsystems. That is, one part of your house stands a pretty good chance of affecting another, even if they don't seem related. For instance, doors and windows that seem to get stuck a lot can often times be traced back to a failing foundation. The shifting of the foundation pushes the door frames and window frames out of square, thus causing the doors and windows to stick.

The relationship we'd like to cover in this blog post, though, is one you won't even see even though it can be right under your feet! What we're talking about is the plumbing located under your foundation slab.

When there's a leak, whether it's in the fresh water line(s) or in the sewer line, the leak adds moisture to the soil under the foundation causing the soil to swell and shift. For the foundation built on this soil, that's bad news indeed! If the leak is small, you might not even notice it, even if it's in the freshwater lines. You might notice your water bill is slightly higher, but it might not be high enough to cause warning bells to go off in your head.

If the leak is in the sewer line, it's even more hidden since such a leak wouldn't result in a higher sewer or water bill.

Finding Out If You Have a Leak

If you have the typical signs of foundation problems, such as stuck doors and windows, cracks in your walls, cracks in your ceiling, loose floor tiles or "popping" floor tiles, then you should contact a foundation repair company. They will inspect your home and decide if the symptoms you have (cracks, stuck doors, etc.) are indeed the result of a foundation failure.

If the problems are due to your foundation, then the next step is to decide how, why, and where the foundation is failing. At this point, it may become necessary to involve a plumber, who can definitively determine where in the plumbing system (if the problem is plumbing related) the leak is.

Your property insurance (homeowners or commercial) company can be very helpful at this point. Not only can insurance help cover the cost of the repair, they can offer several recommendations for licensed professional plumbers. Many insurance policies can pay for tests to determine if there is leakage in the sewer drain lines. Also, an insurance policy may pay for the damage caused by a broken sewer line to a foundation. Unfortunately, many policies don't cover the cost of repairs to the sewer line leaks.

Types of Problems

The soil under the slab foundation will respond differently, based on the amount of water or sewage leaked. Large amounts of sewage or water will create a hump or rise in the soil, pushing the foundation up. Small amounts of sewage or water will compact the soil and create a dip. In either case, the result is the same: You have a foundation problem that needs attention!

In Summary

One source of foundation problems is plumbing. Plumbing leaks add moisture to the soil, creating either a rise in the soil (expansion of soil) or a depression (compaction of soil). Both cases can cause your foundation to move or fail in other ways.

If the foundation problem is caused by poor or broken plumbing, your homeowners or property insurance may pay for tests and damage (but not necessarily the foundation repair itself). Your insurance company may also provide a list of licensed plumbers who can fix the plumbing problem.

Once the plumbing problem is fixed, the foundation problems can be fixed.

As always, if you have questions, remember that you can ask us anything. We're here to help and welcome any type of foundation-related

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

My New Foundation, Part 5

2010-04-29T07:57:00.002-05:00

"Know the difference between what you need and what you want."

This may sound simple and deserving of a great big "well, duh", but stick with me.

I am not talking about the differences between wanting gold flecks or needing gold flecks in the wall paint. I'm referring to when it comes to your new foundation, you need to know the non-negotiable, "hill to die on", bottom line outcome you want for your new home once all of the experts are gone and it's just you and your mortgage payment.

Do you want your new home to serve you well for four (4) years, until your last child graduates college, and then you can sell it? Or do you want it to be the last home you'll ever buy and one you can pass down to your kids? Whether or not you actually get what you want depends 100% on your new foundation.

Do you want the slate tile floor to stay beautiful, until you decide to change it, rather than crack all over?

Do you want that gorgeous fireplace made of Hill Country river rock to never sink in the middle of your living room?

Do you want those giant wood beams from an old New England barn to stay in place above your favorite snoozing chair?

You won't stand much of a chance getting what you want in those areas if you don't get what you want in the foundation!

You will encounter experts in every area of home building who will try to save you money and time by convincing you of what you need rather than what you want. For example, when you tell them you want piers that pass through the fill dirt and penetrate twelve feet (12') into the original soil, they may tell you, with great sincerity, how "you really don't need to go through such trouble and expense."

And they may even recount their near perfect track record with foundations to add weight to their argument. To be translated: "I know what I am doing here but you don't; I have poured hundreds of foundations, but this is your first. So, trust me and not your instincts."

Just thank them for their concern and remind them that you said it's what you want, not what you need.

A small but good example of this is when I had my driveway enlarged. I hired a contractor I used in my foundation repair business to do the job. I told him that I wanted the rebar for the new section tied into the old and that I wanted the rebar raised on plastic holders so it would be centered within the new concrete. I had seen too many driveways die an early death because of the practice of putting the reinforcement on the ground and pouring the concrete on top of it. My contractor proceeded to tell me why I really didn't need that; you can guess what my response was. On the day he was going to put down the driveway, I drove by my house. The new area was ready and waiting for the concrete truck, with the rebar lying on the ground!

Needless to say, I put a stop to the concrete pour until he raised the rebar like I wanted. He was not very happy about the extra labor or the concrete truck wait fees he had to pay.

It has been over fifteen (15) years since and that driveway has very few cracks and still makes a great basketball court for my grown sons and their friends. I have found that home owners have pretty good instincts for spotting when a contractor isn't doing something correctly, but they often don't act on them.

I can't tell how many times a homeowner and I have been looking at their failed foundation and had the following exchange:

Me: "Why didn't your contractor do such-and-such to prevent this problem?
Them: "I really wondered the same thing, but I thought he or she was the expert."

If the only thing I accomplish with this article is convince you to give voice to your instincts and not bury them under the "Fear of offending an expert," then I will be happy.

In case anyone is wondering, my company does not pour new foundations. The most we do with the new ones is install our helical steel piers at the homeowner's request. May your dream home never turn into your worst nightmare.

Au revoir.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

My New Foundation, Part 4

2010-04-27T13:17:00.000-05:00

“Know which experts to talk to and how to interpret what they say.”

Your chosen builder will most likely be an expert at building his/her houses and he/she will call on other experts to provide the information and documentation needed to get the job done.

But this does not necessarily mean it will be the same information you need to make sure the foundation is constructed to your satisfaction. Case in point: most builders are required to take soil samples of where they plan to build and to have a report on the condition and traits of that soil for engineers to refer to. So if you ask your builder for a soils report he/she will probably be able to produce one. The concern is whether that report tells you about the lot your home will sit on.

After all, if a builder is going to be building on a 12.5 acre spot, they probably only took soil samples from three or four spots over the whole area. This satisfies the requirements so he/she can start building, but you need to know what is below the surface where your foundation will go.

It is best to hire your own soils expert to study your lot for you and to tell you what the results mean for your house. These experts are known as Geotech Engineers, which means they study the characteristics of dirt. They use a lot of terms normal folk don’t understand, but one term that is important for you to grasp is “shrink/swell potential.” This refers to the range of up and down movement the soil will go through as it changes from dry (shrink) to wet (swell) and is often reported in inches. For example, a common shrink/swell potential in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is 3”-4”. This means the soil can move up and down 3”to 4” as it cycles through the wet and dry times in a twelve month period; your new foundation will ride on this soil and will need to be engineered to do so without failure.

This brings us to the next expert you should hire to help you, an independent structural engineer. At the very least, you need one who can review the plans and reports made by the builder's engineer and break them down for you. Your engineer can also read your soils report and make sure the foundation is designed properly for your chosen lot. All of the experts, from the builder to the engineers involved will work hard to do a good job for you and to assure you that everything is going to turn out fine.

But after so many years in the business of repairing foundations which didn’t live up to the expert’s promises, I have become “a wee bit skeptical.” Some may call it down right paranoid, but I am convinced they are all part of a government conspiracy against foundation repair people. I just don’t have enough evidence to prove it yet, but I digress.

As you work toward getting your foundation from design to reality, your builder, their engineer and the subcontractor who pours the foundation, will probably try to convince you that there is no need for you to take many of the steps I have outlined. You will hear statements such as the following: “I have never built a house where the foundation failed”, “We pour the strongest foundations in the Metroplex,” “We always pour a thicker and stronger foundation than called for,” “All your neighbors will probably need foundation work but I would be shocked if you ever do.” I have heard these quotes from too many heartbroken home owners over the years to allow them to change my views. If your builder or his/her experts protests too strongly, you can put them to the test by asking if they will put their assurances in writing, spell out what they will do if their promises fail and sign it in front of the notary? Nuff sed!

My final article will cover the topic “Know the difference between what you need and what you want.”

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

My New Foundation, Part 3

2010-04-22T01:14:00.002-05:00

"Know what type of design demands the lot and the floor plan make on your
new foundation."

First,the floor plan. Of course, we at Ace Foundation think every new foundation should be poured on our helical steel piers. But, since that may sound a bit "self serving" to many folks,
let's consider a few realistic points. Most floor plans call for a home which will weigh more in some areas than other spots and the foundation will need to be constructed to account for that. If an area is going to be two stories while the rest is a single story, the foundation will need to be
designed to carry a greater load in the two story section of the home. The same goes for any spot where there will be a fireplace, since these are very prone to future settlement. In fact, I believe every fireplace pad should always have deep piers under it, all the more so if the fireplace will be in the center of the home. You don't want a sinking fire place in the middle of the living room!

Now the impact of the lot on the foundation plans. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to stop and study the piece of ground your new home is going to occupy, do this before the foundation is put down: study the lay of the land within two hundred (200) yards in every direction and make note of the high point and the low point. Where will your new foundation fit in this picture? If it will be the low point, or somewhere between the high and low points, your
foundation will be in the path of all water runoff and the side which receives the runoff will be prone to exaggerated foundation movement, not to mention problems with ponding water.

Observe which side of the foundation will be on the lower side of the lot and what degree of slope there is. This will give you an idea of how deep the layer of fill dirt under that side of the foundation will have to be to make a level building platform. T his fill dirt pad will never be as firm as the original dirt and will almost certainly be the area where you will have foundation problems. This is where I would demand that the foundation be poured on support piers that pass through the fill material and penetrate a minimum of twelve feet (12') into the original soil or to rock, whichever comes first. A quick clue for you, if the building platform is already in place and ready for a foundation, just look for a side with a retaining wall; the height of that wall equals the depth of the fill material.

Your foundation is worthy of all this "fuss and bother" because it will be required to carry the entire load for the life of your new home. If you make sure it is constructed strong enough at the start, it will reward you with "sweet silence." Your guests will compliment you on the creative design features you came up with and will make a huge fuss over the flow from living room to kitchen to the deck to the pool. But they will never gush over the foundation or thrill over the beauty of the blueprints. But, what if you "short change" the foundation? It will be the topic of discussion with every guest you have in your home for as long as you live there. Next, I will address: Know which experts to talk to and how to interpret what they say." In the meantime, you can send me your questions by going to www.AceFoundation.com and clicking on "Ask Us Anything."

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

My New Foundation, Part 2

2010-04-20T06:23:00.007-05:00

"Know your lot above ground and below ground, before you pour the foundation."

First, know your lot above ground. Several characteristics of the lot on which you plan to put your home are:

Is the lot a low point in the larger lay of the land?

If it is, you will be fighting drainage problems which will cause the clay soil to shrink and swell and trigger foundation movement. This results in torn wallpaper, cracked or buckled floor coverings and doors hanging crooked in their frames.

Was the lot created by removing a lot of trees?

Before the builders showed up, the trees and the land had a balanced agreement concerning how much water the trees would drink and how much would be kept by the soil. This resulted in a lot which stayed a consistent degree of levelness. But when the trees are removed, the lot keeps all of the water and the surface soil reacts by slowly expanding upward for the next three to five years. If you build your home on the lot shortly after the trees are removed, you could experience foundation uplift and interior damage as the soil slowly expands in reaction to the new level of water.

Was the lot made ready for building by adding fill dirt?

To make a smooth building pad, builders often pile up a bunch of dirt and level it. It is important for you to know which parts of the foundation will rest on fill dirt, since these areas will be the most prone to settlement and failure if certain steps are not taken. (I will address some of those steps in future articles.)

Second, know your lot below ground. In other words, know what lies below the surface before you put down the foundation. Is your lot sitting above an old trash dump or creek which was filled in and covered over? Are there active springs flowing under it? Was the area created for building by rezoning land previously judged "unfit for building" and what was done to "make it fit"?

These are all factors which could affect the structural stability of your new foundation and the home that sits on top of it. The answers to these questions could determine the design of your new foundation, or they could determine whether you even build your new home on that lot, or not.

I know this sounds like a lot of trouble and expense, but you really don't want to pay "the emotional price" of building in haste. I know of one woman who built her gorgeous "dream house" in the country and now lives in a home she can't enjoy because of the foundation. In fact she has suffered a heart attack due to the stress. Yes, she sought legal advice on taking the builder to court. But she was told she would need a minimum down payment of $25,000.00 and that her chances of getting anything from him were very slim -- even if she won! How much better to win up front before the builder even starts?

My next article will address: "Know what type of unique design demands the lot and floor plan make upon the new foundation."

Again, if you need answers right away, don't hesitate to call me. You might also visit my website, www.AceFoundation.com, to get more information.

- Alan Ardoin

My New Foundation, Part 1

2010-04-15T07:57:00.002-05:00

If you were building your "dream home," would you leave it up to the contractor to choose the design of the kitchen, or the type of cabinets and the style of the appliances? Not on your life! Then why leave the most important decision up to them, the design of your new foundation?

After spending over 21 years in foundation repair, I have always been amazed how homeowners will fight a builder to the point of going to court over anything from the color of paint to the number of electrical outlets. But when it comes to the foundation, they comfort themselves with the thought, "Well, he's the expert and his company is well known, so I am sure he will put a great foundation under my home. I need to worry about findig the right color shingles so the roof matches the color in the brick."

ATTENTION, ATTENTION, ATTENTION!

After your home is built, you can change nearly anything you don't like about it except the foundation! 'Sorry for getting carried away and "yelling," but I hope you get my point. If I was having a builder construct my "dream home," his crews would hate me until they got the foundation poured. After that, they wouldn't see me very often.

What's all the fuss about, you ask? Doesn't the foundation's design just have to be the right shape for the floor plan? Yes, of course, but the real question is, "Has it been constructed well enough to support the home on top of it so I can enjoy living in it for years to come?"

There are several key factors which have to be accounted for in order to answer that question in the affirmative. I can only list some of the most important foundation design factors in this post, but I will go into greater detail in subsequent posts. The most important foundation design steps are: know the lot are building on, above or below ground; know what type of unique design demands the lot and floor plan make upon the new foundation; know which experts to talk to and how to interpret what they say; And, know the difference between what you want and what you need.

These are the points I will address in coming posts. If you need answers now, feel free to call me at 972-272-1900 and I will do my best to assist us.

Also, don't forget, you can ask us anything. Fill out the quick form (only 3 fields to complete), hit the "Submit" button, and wait for our answer!

- Alan Ardoin

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

More Photos of Damage Caused by a Bad Foundation

2010-04-13T02:27:00.006-05:00

I snapped these photos of a house near my own. You can see these cracks from the street! This is what happens if you don't fix foundation problem as soon as you can.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Guest Post: Invest in Your Home With Timely Foundation Repair and Maintenance

2010-04-08T06:41:00.001-05:00

The foundation of a home impacts almost every other structural and architectural element. If the foundation is compromised or worn out, damage will trickle up through the rest of the building.

In order to avoid long-term problems it is essential to take care of any foundation repairs immediately and to keep your foundation in good shape with preemptive steps and maintenance. By doing so, you will save yourself time and money in the long term and you'll help keep you home in prime condition.

When to Repair? Most of us probably take foundations for granted. When something is amiss, we may not know the warning signs. As a homeowner, it's essential to become well-informed on this matter so that you can keep an eye out for symptoms of foundation problems. If you see:

Cracks in walls or ceiling drywall
Popped drywall nails
Sloping or uneven flooring
Windows out of square
Sticking doors or windows
Gaps between walls and ceilings/floors
Masonry cracks
Gaps between bricks, doors, and windows
Cracks in foundation walls and floor
Gaps between chimney and house

this may be a sign that your foundation is degenerating. If you see any of these warning signs, don't panic. The reality is, a building foundation will likely need repair at some point because changes in soil conditions, hydrostatic pressure and a variety of other outside forces can create stress on a foundation. Luckily, there are experts who specialize in just this type of work. Foundation contractors will be able to determine the cause of the problem and will have the tools and knowledge to address it.

Maintenance Is Key While doing foundation repairs as issues arise is essential to keeping your home structurally sound, it is just as necessary - if not more so - to take steps to increase the longevity of your foundation before major problems arise. One of the best ways to do this is waterproofing. Because foundations are, by necessity and design, underground, they are extremely susceptible to water damage. Foundation waterproofing creates a barrier between your foundation and any surrounding water so that cracks and other structural deterioration issues do not have a chance to form. If you are building a new home this is especially important. If you can waterproof at the time of foundation construction, not only is the work easier to do, but then you're also protected from day one.

No part of your home is as fundamental as the foundation. It is truly the base for the rest of the construction, so keeping it in good shape is essential. Through proper foundation repair and regular maintenance you will be able to rest assured that you and your home are on solid ground.

Matt Gallo is a homeowner and an Internet marketer for Prospect Genius, a leader in online marketing.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Guest Post: Foundation Repair - Common Issues

2010-04-06T06:36:00.003-05:00

What Causes a Home to Settle?

A simplified definition of settlement is, "structural movement that occurs when the soil below cannot support the weight of the structure above." There are many potential causes of structural settlement, some occurring deep within the soil profile while others are nearer the surface, and it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint a specific cause for the home's settlement.

Three of the more common causes of structural settlement are:

1) drying and shrinking of the foundation soils,
2) wetting and softening of the foundation soils, and
3) poorly compacted fill soils consolidating or compressing under the weight of the foundation.

Soils with high clay contents are particularly susceptible to volume changes with changes in moisture; i.e., they have the tendency to swell when wet and shrink when dried. If the soil moisture levels decrease significantly, clayey soils can shrink, resulting in settlement of overlying structures. Drying of foundation soils is commonly caused by extensive drought-like conditions, maturing trees and vegetation in close proximity to the foundations, and leaking subfloor heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Excess moisture introduced to foundation soils may also prove problematic. Softening or weakening of the foundation soils can occur, reducing the soil's ability to support the weight of the home. Settlement cracks often appear as these softened or weakened foundation soils are compressed beneath the footings. Increased moisture conditions within the foundation soils are most often the result of heavy precipitation or over-irrigation coupled with poor surface water drainage away from the home, which is typically evident by slow drainage or standing or ponding water adjacent to the foundation. Similarly, leaks in water lines or plumbing, or an elevated groundwater table, can also increase the moisture content of the foundation soils and lead to structural settlement.

Another common cause of settlement is poor compaction of fill soils on which the home is constructed. When most residential subdivisions are developed, the earthwork/grading phase typically involves cutting and removing soil from hilltops and then placing this material as fill within valleys to create build-able lots. When this fill is constructed with suitable material at proper moisture and compaction levels, it can effectively support the weight of the new home. However, fill soils that are excessively dry or wet, or fill that is loosely compacted, can compress under its own weight or the weight of the home resulting in structural settlement

How Will I Know if a Home Has Experienced Settlement?

Mortar joints that are out of level, interior and exterior cracking, doors and windows difficult to open and close, and chimneys pulling away from exterior walls and roof overhangs are all symptoms of foundation settlement.

Out of level mortar joints are a tell-tale sign of structural settlement. Block foundation walls and exterior brick veneer is generally laid near-horizontal during construction. Therefore, the mortar joints can then be used to identify settlement. A tool such as a laser level can help determine the extent of movement from one corner of the home to the other. Measuring from a mortar joint to the projected line or dot of the laser at several locations along the foundation wall can assist with identifying both settlement trend and magnitude

Cracking in the interior and exterior construction materials of the home may also indicate settlement. Stair-step cracking is common in brick and concrete block walls. If the settlement continues, vertical cracks at either the bottom or top of the wall may get wider, indicating wall rotation. Cracks extending from window and door framing are also common, both inside and outside the home. Often, the attempts made to fill or seal drywall or mortar cracks are easy to identify due to variances in finish or workmanship. When tuck-pointing brick veneer, it is especially difficult to match original mortar colors. In other cases, the repair work may not be as obvious, so directing the beam of a flashlight over the corners of doors and windows may help spot a past repair.

Observing proper alignment and operation of doors and windows, or the lack thereof, can assist with diagnosing structural settlement. Doors or windows may be out of level (racked), difficult to open or close, or separating from the framing or exterior finish. If settlement is suspected, check for new caulking around windows or doors, evidence of planing on the tops or bottoms of doors to allow for easier opening and closing, and replacement or movement of locks or latching mechanisms on doors.

Finally, a chimney separating from the rest of the home is an obvious and often dramatic indication of settlement. Chimneys are sometimes built on a foundation that is not connected to the foundation of the home.

Learn more about foundation repair and related issues at http://www.foundationsupportworks.com/. Article written by Boris Kovalsky.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Guest Post: Foundation Repair - Is Your Home's Foundation Moving? - 11 Ways to Know If Your House is Safe

2010-04-01T07:21:00.000-05:00

The sooner you fix a moving foundation, the less damage it will cause. Sometimes these problems are hard to diagnose and foundation repairs many times should be left to the professionals.

Check off which symptoms you have below. Some obvious foundation movement indicators are:

Are there cracks in your foundation?
Do you have bulging concrete walls?
Do you suspect any type of foundation movement? Any or all of those above can be cause for alarm!
Do you have any floor and wall cracks?
Do you notice any doors that bind and do not open or close correctly?
Do you have any floors that are not level? Do your windows bind or do not open or close correctly?
Is there any water intrusion in your home?
Do you have any mold growth?
Are there cracks in your exterior brick?
Do you have any cracks in your beams and joists?
Are there any separations of wood either on the interior or exterior of your home?

If you feel you need residential foundation repairs, -- you MUST act quickly! Things could be so much worse if you wait. It isn't worth risking your life as well as the lives of your family members. This type of problem isn't for the "Do It Yourselfers" either. You are going to want a reputable experienced company. Many times a husband or a relative mean well and think they can go ahead and try to resolve it on their own. Say NO!

About the Author

Keystone Basement Systems located in Pittsburgh, PA, West Virginia (WV), and Ohio (OH) is the only company in Western Pennsylvania that is owned by a (real) experienced basement professional." You can Google "foundation repair Pittsburgh" or visit their site at http://www.KeystoneBasementSystems.com

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Springtime Lessons

2010-03-30T14:24:00.003-05:00

It often seems we humans have certain impulses hardwired in our DNA and Spring provides some good examples.

Whether it's buying a motorcycle, new dresses for little girls, white shoes for women OR home remodeling projects, we feel we "Must obey the call." While breaking out the white shoes too early could be a "social disaster" for some women, remodeling too soon could have a negative impact on your bank account. Why, you might ask? It's fairly easy to understand once you think about it.

The clay soil our homes rest on expands and lifts up when it absorbs a lot of water and late Winter/early Spring is when we get lots of rain. The other fact to keep in mind is "what goes up must come down" and this takes place as the soil dries out during our infamous Summer heat waves. The problem is, our homes tend to go the way of the soil. Therefore, if I rush to lay new floor tile, put up new wallpaper OR build that new game room over the garage before the soil dries out, I could be setting myself up for heartache.

In my experience, Springtime is the best time to address all known foundation related problems, or to have a foundation expert out to determine if there are any problems which could have a negative impact on my remodeling projects. At the very least I recommend waiting until July or August to launch any remodeling projects, as long as no foundation problems have shown up during the dry out. This helps prevent that new slate floor tile from cracking or that imported French wallpaper from tearing.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Thoughts on the Previous Blog Post

2010-03-25T08:02:00.001-05:00

The previous blog post contained some good information, but there are some points we disagree with or would like to go into detail about. Read on for our thoughts, here at Ace Foundation.

"Contractors for repair work are the same people who also undertake other home improvement contracts."

This may be true for other types of home improvement and home repair tasks, but foundation repair requires skills and equipment the typical home repair contractor just doesn't possess. Make sure that the contractor with whom you're talking is a foundation repair specialist.

"They generally have a few skilled and unskilled laborers and limited resources."

With Ace Foundation, every member of our team is skilled in foundation repair. Foundation repair is their job. Any reputable and reliable foundation repair company is going to use skilled and experienced foundation repair people -- your home or business foundation is too important to leave to part-timers or jacks-of-all-trades.

Ask Us Anything

Do you have a foundation repair job coming up and you have questions or concerns? Don't hesitate to ask us anything about foundation repair. We're more than happy to listen and then give you our best answer! No high pressure sales and no pestering -- just answers to your questions. So, ask us anything.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Guest Post: Foundation Repair Contractors

2010-03-23T06:00:00.002-05:00

Having a contractor for a foundation repair job may give perfection to the job, but it is also expensive. However, people lacking the time or skill to do the job themselves could opt for one from several of the foundation repair contractors available. Giving a foundation repair contract to an external agency means having to cope with the inconvenience of workmen in your house for a couple of days and someone being at home during the entire period of the repair job for supervision and security.

Contractors for repair work are the same people who also undertake other home improvement contracts. You may find several of them online as also in your own neighborhood street. Home improvement contractors work as small-time businesses. They generally have a few skilled and unskilled laborers and limited resources. They also have built-up contacts with certain suppliers, who sell them materials at concession rates.

Once you approach a contractor, the first thing they would do is to visit your house, examine the extent of the deterioration and pull up an estimate based on the same. Usually contractors do not charge anything for estimates. It is always prudent not to rely on a single estimate. At least three estimates must be taken. Do not settle for the lowest estimate – rather see who provides better materials and better overall quality of the job. It is unwise to save a few dollars just to have the whole repair work redone in a couple of years.

Before money is exchanged, ask the contractor for references and any previous history of work done. These references must all be cross-checked, paying a visit to their homes and inspecting their quality of work if possible. Also verify with the Better Business Bureau if they have had any complaint lodged by previous unsatisfied customers.

One more important thing to be checked before paying the contractor the first down-payment is whether they have all the requisite licenses. Foundation repair work involving fitting of sump-pumps requires licenses. Also if the repair work exceeds a certain amount, which is roughly $30,000, the contractor must have a license. Then there is insurance. Three insurances must be checked for: (i) the Workman\'s Compensation Insurance, which protects you if a worker is injured in your premises; (ii) the Automobile Insurance, which would assist you were your contractor to damage any other vehicle on your premises and (iii) the General Liability Insurance, which would compensate you if your contractor or laborers would damage any of your property.

It is not necessary and, of course, not wise to pay the entire amount to the contractor in advance. Almost all contractors begin work with a little amount of the total upfront and claim the rest of the amount upon the completion of the job. There are many unforeseeable situations that may occur like natural calamities, strikes of vehicles or even death of the contractor for which a homeowner has to be prepared for.

Finally, it always pays never to rely totally on the judgment of the contractor. There are several do-it-yourself books and guides which one must read before embarking on a job. Knowing what the repair job is all about will go a long way in protecting you from being cheated.

About the Author

Concrete Foundation Repair provides detailed information on Foundation Repair, Concrete Foundation Repair, Foundation Repair Costs, Foundation Leak Repair and more. Concrete Foundation Repair is affiliated with Fine Home Buildings.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Steel Piers: Pipes versus Tubes

2010-03-18T12:54:00.004-05:00

Should you be concerned about the type of steel pier your foundation repair contractor uses? You bet your boots, you ought to be! The type of steel pier used in your foundation repair means the difference between a short-term and a long-term fix.

Believe it or not, there are differences between a tube and a pipe. Most people point to the fact that pipe is measured by its Inner Diameter (ID) and tubing is measured by its Outer Diameter (OD). Others point to the fact that pipe is used to convey media (gas, liquid, etc.) from one place to another and tubing is used for other purposes.

However, there's more to it than that. Pipe is a seamless extraction while tubes are in general a folded piece of metal. That is, in general, tubes have a seam.

Why is this important? Because a seam is one of the factors in determining strength. The other factors are diameter (ID or OD), wall thickness, and material. Consider this: given a pipe and a tube of similar wall thickness, material, and inner & outer diameters, the item without the seam is going to be stronger. In other words, a pipe is stronger than a tube.

Used Pipe

Even when a contractor uses pipes, there's no guarantee that the pipe is of high enough quality. Some foundation repair companies uses discarded or used oil field pipe. These pipes aren't always straight and aren't always dent-free. Any bend in the pipe or dent affects its integrity and means its not as strong and durable as a brand new pipe.

Pipe Size

One more thing to consider is the pipe size. There's lots to be said about pipe size, so we'll save that for a later blog post. But, your contractor should be able to tell you what size pipe will be used in your steel foundation piers.

Ask About Your Foundation Repair Piers

Before you sign a contract, ask your foundation repair contractor about the origin of the piers to be used in your foundation repair job. If they don't know or give an unsatisfactory answer, then continue shopping around. You and your home or business deserve a repair that's going to last and not fail due to substandard piers.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Ask Us Anything!

2010-03-16T10:00:00.001-05:00

Ask us anything!

We've added a new form to our website in which you can ask us anything. Want to know about your foundation and some remodeling you're thinking about this Spring? Ask us! Want to understand what goes into a foundation repair job, how long it could take, etc.? Ask us! Have a big from another foundation repair company and don't understand what they're telling you? Ask us?

We'll email your answer to you and put a synopsis of both the question and answer on our website so everyone learns a little bit more about foundation repair. (We don't post your name, so don't worry about your privacy or offending other foundation repair companies!)

So, go ahead. Ask us anything!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Think About Your Foundation When Planning Your Landscape, Part 2

2010-03-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

This is Part 2 of our posts concerning your landscaping and how it affects your foundation. If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here.

Make sure that the soil around your foundation is graded so that the water flows away from the building. The grade should drop 4 to 6 inches in 4 to 6 feet.
Trim the shrubs around your house so that they are 3 feet tall or shorter. Large plants need lots of water, which can cause foundation problems.
Make sure that all paved surfaces (driveways, sidewalks, patios, pool decks, etc.) that slope away from your foundation.
Check the soil around your foundation. It should be between 2 to 4 inches below the brick line or edge of your siding. Soil helps hold the water in the ground and reduces seasonal settlement.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Think About Your Foundation When Planning Your Landscape, Part 1

2010-03-09T06:00:00.001-06:00

It's that time of year when we start planning what we're going to do with our home landscaping. Nearly everyone likes to picture new plantings, a green yard, and healthy trees and shrubs.

What most people don't think about, however, is how their landscaping affects their foundation. That's right: your landscaping can help or hurt your house foundation. Below are several tips concerning landscaping and your home's foundation.

If you have large trees around your house, think about installing root barriers to keep the trees from pulling water out from under the foundation. This is especially important if a tree is closer to your foundation that the height of the tree.
Don't trap water against the foundation. Water can be trapped against the building by raised flower beds, metal edging or other landscaping borders that do not have drainage holes, and sidewalks can prevent water from draining away from your foundation. If the water doesn't drain properly, it can pool or gather and cause uneven soil moisture and, ultimately foundation problems.
Use downspout extensions or splash blocks on all down spouts. Downspout extensions are inexpensive and can be purchased at any home repair store.
Check your sprinker system and swimming pool. Leaky sprinkler lines and pool circulating systems can cause foundation problems. It's a good idea to have your lines tested for leaks every two to three years.

Look for Part 2 on Thursday, March 11.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Why Some Foundation Repairs Cost More Than Others

2010-03-04T10:59:00.002-06:00

Numerous factors go into the cost of a foundation repair job. However, it's not as complicated as one might think. In fact, the sign of a good, reliable, and trustworthy foundation repair company is the fact that they will discuss with you everything that goes into your estimate.

Below are four things that affect every job.

The Structure

The most important things about the structure are its size and weight. The heavier a structure is, the more piers the structure will need for adequate support. Also, the larger the ground floor of the structure is, the more piers it will need. The goal is to support the structure over a large footprint, thereby increasing stability.

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.

Soil Stability

The number one factor in soil stability is how much the soil's moisture content changes. 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. Naturally, stable soil is the ideal. If the soil is unstable, the repair job will require more piers.

Pier Depth

While we've discussed how the number of piers are affected by the factors above, we should also consider the depth to which the piers are sunk. Simply adding more piers does not remedy a foundation problem. Those piers must also reach to a depth that provides adequate support. This means to bedrock or to s particular soil density. The deeper the piers must be sunk, the more expensive the foundation repair job will be.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Piers and Pools Slide Show

2010-03-02T04:03:00.000-06:00

We've put together a slide show of Ace Foundation working on a few pools. Pools — like any other structure — can shift and move as the soil around it changes in moisture content. So, it's important to support the pool. Remember, a swimming pool is one of the most expensive investments you can make in your family's outdoor enjoyment, so it's important to do the job right from the start.

Enjoy the slide show below and be sure to contact us (phone: 972-272-1900) if you have questions about your swimming pool and foundation piers.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Building Foundation Types

2010-02-25T08:31:00.000-06:00

A lot of first time home buyers have questions about the different types of foundations and the pros and cons of each. So, we thought it was a good idea to rerun one of our original foundation blog posts. Read on to learn about the various types of building foundations.

Slab or Slab on Grade is a foundation that is one large piece of concrete reinforced with steel bars or cables. "On grade" simply means the structure is supported by the ground or grade.

A pier and beam foundation keeps the structure lifted off the ground or grade by using a tall perimeter concrete beam and a series of piers which support the floor constructed of wood.

A simple frame foundation is the oldest type of foundation and is similar to a Pier and Beam. A frame foundation does not use a concrete perimeter beam, but has supports around the perimeter that are covered by siding down to the ground.

Get more information by visiting our website, www.AceFoundation.com.

Drainage, Drainage, Drainage

2010-02-23T09:55:00.000-06:00

If you've been following our blog, then by now you know that the biggest source of foundation problems are changes in the moisture content of the soil supporting and around the foundation.

Soil expands or contracts as the moisture content changes. Soil contraction can be from minimal to nearly 65% of the total wet volume, depending upon the amount of clay in the soil plus other factors. If you've ever experienced one of our extended Texas droughts, then you've probably seen large cracks in the ground. These cracks are perfect examples of the soil contracting as it dries out. The more expansive the clay, the larger the cracks. Imagine what soil like this does for your foundation!

There are many things a home owner can do to correct surface drainage problems. The yard around your home should be graded to slope away from your foundation. This slope will drain water away from the house and, thus, the foundation. Once away from the house, the yard should be sloped to allow the water to drain toward the street or alley. Builders, landscapers and home owners often make changes to the landscape that prevent the runoff of excess water.

You need to inspect the landscape around your home for areas that trap water. The best time to do is immediately following rainfall. Look for flower and shrub beds which hold water and make the changes needed to allow the water to drain away.

Make sure your gutter downspouts discharge water away from the foundation rather than dumping it into a plant bed or next to the house. Sometimes all you need to do is extend the downspouts so they discharge at a safe place, and some houses would be better off without gutters.

These are just some of the things you can do to protect your home. Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Myths about North Texas Foundations, Part 2

2010-02-18T07:54:00.001-06:00

Myth - "A home inspector cleared the house for sale so everything must be okay."

Home inspectors look at a lot of different things during their inspection, but they only draw attention to the foundation if there are clear and obvious symptoms of foundation movement. Most symptoms of foundation movement may have been expertly covered over before the inspector ever sees the property.

Myth - "The foundation has been repaired and comes with a warranty, so I won't have to deal with foundation problems."

There are two problems with this thought.

First, any area of the foundation not worked on can always develop problems not covered by the warranty.

Second, sellers often hire the cheapest company to put in the cheapest piers. This practice often results in the most ongoing problems.

Myth - "The more expensive or custom built a house is, the fewer problems I will have with it."

Allow me to answer this myth with a story. In the 1980s, Dallas experienced a crash in real estate prices. Several years after the crash, Ace Foundation Repair (my company) was called out to inspect the foundation of a beautiful three million dollar mansion in Dallas which had gotten caught in the crash and never sold.

At the time, some realtors had a foreign doctor willing to buy the house for a million dollars and they were thrilled. The builders had failed to insulate the fresh water lines running up between the walls to serve the upstairs bath areas. Dallas had had a hard freeze while the house was vacant. The pipes froze and ruptured and water drained town throughout the interior! The foundation was a pier and beam which had massive support beams, as required for such a large structure. The problem was, the builders ran out of room under the house and ran the beams right into the dirt. Guess where they were having foundation problems? And the builders had built the mansion as a shining example of their work!

I hope I've dispelled some of the myths you may have had heard concerning foundations here in North Texas. If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact me at Ace Foundation Repair (phone: 972-272-1900) and I'll be happy to talk to you.

Alan Ardoin, President
Ace Foundation Repair

Myths about North Texas Foundations, Part 1

2010-02-16T05:14:00.003-06:00

Many first time homeowners buy houses which end up costing them a lot of money and causing them much grief due to believing one or more of the following myths.

Myth - "A house which is at least 5 years old will have settled all it is going to."

That may be true in some areas of the country, but not North Texas.

In order for a house to stop settling in this area, the soil upon which it is built would have to stop moving, and our clay soils will always remain active.

Myth - "If I buy an older home that has never had foundation problems, then it never will."

Foundation failure can take place at any time during the life of a house.

Myth - "If I buy a new house, then I won't have to deal with foundation problems."

Newer and newer homes need foundation repair due to where they were built and how they were built.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact me at Ace Foundation Repair (phone: 972-272-1900) and I'll be happy to talk to you.

Alan Ardoin, President
Ace Foundation Repair

About Mudjacking

2010-02-11T08:25:00.000-06:00

Mudjacking is an additional foundation repair technique used to fix sinking and shifts in flat concrete areas. The process uses pressurized mud rather than piers. The mud is typically comprised of sandy loam soil, water and some cement for stiffness. The mixture is pumped under the foundation through a hose until the void is filled and creates lift of the desired areas.

Ace Foundation recommends mudjacking only for flat concrete surfaces such as garage floors, driveways, pool and patio decks.

We do not recommend mudjacking for the lifting of structural load bearing foundations/surfaces for the following reasons: The performance depends on the soil beneath. The lifting process may break sewer pipes and quickly fill them with the mud, requiring expensive plumbing repairs. A uniform lift is very difficult due to the different weight and thickness of the slab.

Many foundation repair contractors, as well as structural engineers, like to use piers on the perimeter grade beams to repair failed foundations and to use mudjacking on foundations with interior failure such as sinking or sagging floors.

Mudjacking is a procedure which involves drilling two inch (2") diameter holes through the floor in the affected area, bringing in a hose, about the size of a firehose, with a nozzle that fits in the holes and pumping a thick mud grout under the floor. The grout is typically comprised of sandy loam soil, water and about twelve percent (12%) cement.

The grout is pumped under the foundation with several hundred pounds of pressure until all voids are filled and the back pressure lifts the foundation to where it needs to be.

Mudjacking has been successfully used to lift streets, porches, and driveways at a cost much lower than replacement, but Ace Foundation does not recommend the use of mudjacking on homes or buildings for several reasons.

One big reason we do not recommend mudjacking is that the process cannot be fully controlled by the contractor once the grout leaves the nozzle.

The grout always takes the path of least resistance, which means once it leaves the nozzle the grout can come up through bathtub, leaveouts, shallow areas of concrete flooring, etc. The main danger that the mudjacking process poses is to plumbing under the foundation. As the back pressure increases, the foundation begins to raise and the possibility of plumbing lines separating increases. The moment a sewer line breaks, the grout starts entering the line and the cement can set before a plumber can clean it out. Once the grout sets, the plumbing line has to be broken out and replaced.

Mudjacking also tends to be a temporary method of repair. In order for the grout to hold the foundation in position it depends on the soil beneath it to remain in place. If the soil moves due to loss of moisture then the grout will not be able to hold the load.

Ace Foundation installs STEEL INTERIOR PIERS and accomplishes all lifting with them. We then have a plumber test for leaks in the plumbing lines and the home owner has the opportunity to repair the leaks.

We then fill the void between the floor and the soil with the same process as mudjacking yet with pressure and grout that are safer for the plumbing. This approach allows Ace Foundation to control damage and to provide the home owner with a longer lasting repair.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

All About Pier and Beam, Part 3

2010-02-09T06:56:00.002-06:00

This is the 3rd part in a three part series of posts concerning pier and beam foundations. Be sure to see the first two posts in the series, All About Pier and Beam, Part 1 and All About Pier and Beam, Part 2.

We found a great posting on The Clark Blog showing the construction of a pier and beam foundation for a new home. Clark was able to take photos from empty lot to completed construction. The post shows in detail what goes into a modern pier and beam foundation.

Picture by The Clark Blog.

If you have questions about your own pier and beam foundation, its upkeep and maintenance, or its repair, be sure to call us at 972-272-1900.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

All About Pier and Beam, Part 2

2010-02-04T07:00:00.001-06:00

This is the second of three posts concerning pier and beam foundations.

In North Texas, pier and beam foundations gave way (for the most part) to slab foundations starting in the 1950s. You'll still find large areas of pier and beam foundations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, though. The Lower Greenville/"M" Streets area of Dallas is predominately pier and beam construction, for example.

Ideally, the piers would be sunk to rock, thereby providing the most stability. However, this is usually not the case because rock isn't always shallow and it costs more the deeper you go with the piers. So, many pier and beam homes aren't resting on rock and, thus, subject the expansion and contraction of the soil -- just like their slab foundation counterparts.

Another common problem with pier and beam construction is that the piers aren't tall enough. That is, the building isn't supported far enough off the ground to provide sufficient air circulation. Without proper air circulation, your home will have moisture problems. These problems can manifest themselves as mold, a musty smell, and numerous other symptoms. In a perfect world, the crawlspace would extend about 30" to 40" above the ground. A home built to this specification, however, would look out of place in a neighborhood full of homes built to more common heights.

Finally, we often see water problems when we look at a pier and beam homes. A home built on a pier and beam foundation requires just as much attention to surface drainage as a home built on a slab foundation. Again, foundations move because of the expansion and contraction of the soil. The number one reason soil expands and contracts is moisture content. So, just as with a slab foundation, you should look for pooling water under and around your pier and beam home, check the grade of the property, and during droughts keep the soil from drying out.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

All About Pier and Beam, Part 1

2010-02-02T10:01:00.004-06:00

This will be the first part of three posts about pier and beam foundations.

If you've ever seen a patio deck, then you are familiar with the basic concepts behind pier foundations. Both structures are built several feet above the ground and supported by pillars and posts or pilings. ("Posts" describe an installation with the large end down. "Pilings" describe an installation with the small end down.) If you been to Galveston, Port Aransas, South Padre, or any other coastal area, then you've seen houses built on "stilts". These homes are built on piers.

In most places, though, you will not be able to see the piers from outside the structure.

Learn more about pier and beam foundations in our next post.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What's an Elevation Survey?

2010-01-28T10:54:00.002-06:00

An elevation survey shows the elevation of various locations of the slab surface or, in the case of a finished house, the finish floor. An elevation survey is a snapshot of the situation. To get the big picture and a better sense of how the foundation moves, it's more useful to take an elevation survey at different times.

You may need an elevation survey if:

You live in an area with unstable soil
You have drywall cracking, binding doors, sloping floors, or foundation wall cracks.
You have had past structural repairs.
You are anticipating the need for structural repairs.
You are in dispute with your builder over construction defects or deficiencies.
Your home is for sale, and the buyer's home inspector has reported on structural movement.
You are buying a home and want to have maximum information regarding structural condition.
Your structural warranty company has denied your claim for structural damage.
You want to have a "benchmark" document for monitoring for future movement.

For more information, visit www.AceFoundation.com.

When It Rains, It Pours.

2010-01-26T16:11:00.000-06:00

It won't be long before we start our annual North Texas spring rains. For now, take advantage of our winter rains to identify potential problems and correct them before the heavier rains start.

After a good rain, look for water pooling near your foundation. If there are puddles, then you need to find a way to direct the water away from the house. You can install a French drain, cut a swale, or change the grade around your foundation.

Also, look for leaks in your home. Some leaks may be caused by foundation problems. So, once you've identified a leak, you need to find the reason for the leak. If the reason is straightforward, such as problems with your roof, then you can the problem and be done with it. If you cannot figure out why the leak exists or where it's coming from, then it may be time to get a professional to look at the problem.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What is an Initial Site Inspection

2010-01-26T10:35:00.001-06:00

An initial site inspection determines the most likely cause of damage and if it's caused by the foundation.

An initial site inspection requires the inspector to gather lots of information. Such information includes but isn't limited to:

structural and architectural drawings
grading plans
plat of survey

You may not have all this information, especially if you're not the original owner of the home. In this case, the inspector will make a visual inspection of the property to get information about where foundation cracks are located, the structure type, the foundation type, the depth of the foundation, the how much and in which direction the building has moved, and any signs of earlier repairs (either to walls or the foundation). The inspector may also consider nearby trees, drainage around the home, and other exterior conditions.

Once all the information is gathered, the inspector will produce the initial site inspection. The initial site inspection is then used -- along with an elevation survey -- to determine the cause of the damage to your home.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Guest Post by Ken Johnson, Express Foundation Inspection

2010-01-26T08:45:00.002-06:00

Nearly all foundation problems stem from either an excess or lack of water. During rainy months, the soil swells, shifting the foundation, and during the dry months, the soil contracts, sometimes repositioning the foundation in an unfortunate manner. It is important to ensure that
the foundation is uniformly hydrated, both during dry and wet periods. Aside from making sure that your foundation is watered, there are a few other things to be mindful of:

Plumbing

The most common problem is not with a high pressure water leak, but with waste water leaks.

If your insurance covers under the slab leaks it is always good to have a plumber check your waste water lines before you begin foundation work.

Many insurance companies no longer carry this coverage unless you pay for it specifically. Check with your insurance agent to see if you have this coverage before you begin any foundation repairs.

Once foundation repairs are completed a check of all plumbing lines both high pressure and waste water along with gas lines should be checked for leaks.
Trees or shrubs with large or greedy root structures

In a situation where a tree or group of shrubs are absorbing water and making the foundation sag, a root barrier or removal of the offending foliage are two of the leading options in prevention and correction of damage.

When purchasing a home these two things should be paid special attention. As a licensed professional engineer, I can help you determine if piers, root barriers, or drainage solutions may help maintain your foundation. Express Foundation Inspection can help you determine if the home you are looking to purchase has any signs of foundation damage, and if it does, we can pose solutions to solve such problems. Contact us at kjohnsontexas@verizon.net or call (972) 495-0890.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Scary Pictures of Foundation Cracks

2010-01-21T15:50:00.000-06:00

We probably see more foundation cracks than most people. After all, we visit home after home, business after business! You name it, we've seen it.

Here's your chance to see a variety of foundation cracks and other foundation problems. We've gathered together for you three links of pictures.

Some of these cracks look pretty scary, don't they?

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What to Do After Foundation Repair

2010-01-19T15:31:00.003-06:00

If you've just had your foundation repaired, then you're probably interested in protecting it for as long as possible. The key is to remove any of the conditions that caused your foundation to fail in the first place. Follow these tips and your foundation will provide a solid, stable base for your home for years to come.

Check the drainage around your home and fix any problems you find. Make sure that water drains away from your home. You may need to regrade your lot or add swales. Also, make sure that your drain spouts aren't clogged and that they release water sufficiently far away from your foundation.
Review your landscaping. Shrubs and bushes should be at least 18 inches to two feet from your foundation. Trees should be even further away. Look for tree roots shoving their way under the foundation and cracking or moving it. Tree roots can also invade and break water and sewer lanes. Install root barrier systems once you have removed damaging roots.
Minimize the contraction and expansion of soil near and under your foundation by using soaker hoses during the summer. The best way to do this is to regularly and responsibly water your lawn. You'll get double use of your water with this technique!

Following these steps and keeping an eye for tell-tale symptoms (such as cracks around door frames) will ensure your foundation stays in tip top shape.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

5 Reasons Why Putting Off Foundation Repair is a Bad Idea

2010-01-14T12:40:00.004-06:00

No one likes to think about foundation repair. It's not the cheapest home repair you can think of and it's certainly not glamorous. No one will walk into your home and say, "My, my, my! You have a beautiful home and -- wait -- you must have just had the foundation repaired! It's gorgeous!"

However, ignoring foundation repair or saving it to the very last can be a costly mistake. Below are five reasons why foundation repair should be at the top of your list -- not the bottom.

A bad foundation creates more problems throughout your home. A bad foundation can cause doors to jam in their frames, walls to crack, windows to stick, floor tiles to pop loose, and myriad other problems. Each of these problems cost money to fix and fixing them before you fix the foundation means you'll be fixing these problems again. And again. And again.
A bad foundation does not fix itself. A foundation moves up and down and side to side based on the water content of the soil upon which it rests. No matter how long you wait and how hard you wish, your foundation is not going to move back into its original configuration.
A bad foundation can be the sign of other problems. Ignoring foundation repairs means you may be missing other problems. For instance, if your foundation has shifted due to a leak in a sewer pipe, you may not even learn of the sewer pipe problem until you've begun to deal with the foundation problem.
Spending money on home improvement may be a bust if your foundation has a problem. Just think about installing new floor tiles in your entryway or kitchen, only to have them come loose months later because your foundation is shifting. Your investment in the floor tiles was for nothing!
The longer you wait, the more expensive the repairs may become. You want to stabilize your foundation as soon as possible. Waiting will not lessen the amount of repairs necessary.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Foundation Repair Glossary, Part 4

2010-01-14T07:05:00.000-06:00

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.

Structural Engineers and Foundation Work

2010-01-12T10:41:00.004-06:00

You should contact an independent registered professional engineer if you think your slab foundation needs work and you want an impartial opinion. Look for an engineer who specializes in civil or structural engineering. The average electrical or aeronautics engineer probably isn't experienced in soil mechanics or the load bearing capacity of concrete. Ideally, your chosen contractor should have experience in residential or light commercial slab on grade foundations.

Finally, ask the engineer if they have any ties to foundation repair contractors, builders or insurers. You want an engineer whose recommendations are based on professional opinion and not on existing agreements or commissions.

You’ll find engineers listed in your local phone book and on web search engines. Most inspections will run several hundred dollars, but note that fees can vary depending on where you live and the inspector's experience, etc.

Do you have an any comments or an interesting story concerning your foundation inspection? Then tell us about it. Send email to alanardoin@gmail.com.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

A Typical Foundation Repair Using Steel Piers

2009-08-18T13:32:00.002-05:00

Every foundation and every problem has its own characteristics. However, there are some basics that apply to nearly all foundation repair jobs. Below is a typical description of the practices Ace Foundation Repair uses.

To repair a foundation problem, the contractor installs underpinning piers under the perimeter beams and then mechanically raises the foundation and holds it in place.

Historically the type of piers used in foundation repair have been concrete piers drilled and poured in place. If these foundation piers are drilled to rock they are excellent. However, if they're not, they depend on the clay soil for support just as the foundation does.

Since a poured-in-place concrete pier gets its support by skin friction from the hole in which it is poured, it is prone to move as the soil moves and create more foundation problems.

In order to fix foundations problems with longer lasting results, a pier was needed that could bypass dependence on the soil as much as possible. This is how the steel pier came about. Whereas concrete piers are known as friction piers, steel piers are called point bearing piers.

Ace Foundation steel piers are specifically designed to penetrate clay soil and seat the point of each pier on rock or load bearing strata. Due to a unique feature of Ace Foundation's pier design, the clay soil is pushed away from the pipe as the steel pier is driven into the soil.

This feature of the steel pier prevents dependence on the soil, transfers the weight of the foundation to rock or load bearing strata, and provides a very stable support system for the foundation.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

"Can I See Drainage Problems?"

2009-08-13T13:26:00.001-05:00

"Can I see drainage problems?"

This is a fairly common question. Drainage problems are one of the leading causes of foundation issues. So, identifying drainage problems early and correcting them can reduce or prevent foundation problems.

The answer to the question, Can I see drainage problems, is yes and no.

Yes, if it's a surface water problem. No, if it's an underground water problem. Ace Foundation can inspect, detect, repair, and prevent subsurface drainage problems. Get more information by visiting us at www.AceFoundation.com.

10 Steps to Better Foundation Maintenace, Part II

2009-08-11T08:18:00.001-05:00

Here's the second part of our ten tips for keeping your foundation happy. You can find the first 5 tips here.

Make sure that the soil around your foundation is graded so that the water flows away from the building. The grade should drop 4 to 6 inches in 4 to 6 feet.
Use soaker hoses around your foundation to keep the soil damp during dry periods. Learn more about soaker hoses and your foundation here.
Trim most of the shrubs around your house so that they are 3 feet tall or shorter. Large plants need lots of water, which can cause foundation problems.
Make sure that all paved surfaces (driveways, sidewalks, patios, pool decks, etc.) that slope away from your foundation.
Check the soil around your foundation. It should be between 2 to 4 inches below the brick line or edge of your siding. Soil helps hold the water in the ground and reduces seasonal settlement.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

10 Steps to Better Foundation Maintenace, Part I

2009-08-06T13:09:00.001-05:00

We're breaking this topic into 2 parts. Here's the first part.

Check your sprinker system and swimming pool. Leaky sprinkler lines and pool circulating systems can cause foundation problems. It's a good idea to have your lines tested for leaks every two to three years.
If you're lucky enough have large trees around your house, consider installing root barriers to keep the trees from pulling water out from under the foundation. This is especially important if the trees are closer to your foundation that the height of the trees.
Avoid trapping water against the foundation. Water can be trapped against the building by raised flower beds, metal edging or other landscaping borders that do not have drainage holes, and sidewalks can prevent water from draining away from your foundation. If the water doesn't drain properly, it can pool or gather and cause uneven soil moisture and, ultimately foundation problems.
If your sewers back up or become block, you should have them tested for leaks. Many sewer blockages are caused by tree roots. These roots either cause or have found openings in your sewer lines.
Use downspout extensions or splash blocks on all down spouts. Downspout extensions are inexpensive and can be purchased at any home repair store (The Home Depot, Lowes Home Improvement, Ace Hardware, etc.).

Look for more tips this Thursday. And don't forget, there's always more information at www.AceFoundation.com.

6 Things You Should Know Before Signing a Foundation Repair Contract

2009-08-04T09:10:00.001-05:00

As with any other work on your home, foundation repair should always be done using a contract. A contract describes what is expected of the service provider, what your recourse is when things don't work out as planned, and what the repair work will cost and how long it will take.

Below are six things you should look for in a contract:

Look for a complete description of the work to be done. This includes the number of foundation supports, the type of foundation supports, and additional services such as engineer's reports and permits..
Be sure the project's total cost is explicitly defined and accounted for.
Make sure you have a payment schedule. This way, there'll be no questions as to how much is due when.
The warranty: This should be simple to understand and the same in nature as that which was presented to you initially.
Make sure the contract describes who is responsible for removing debris and cleaning the site after the work is done.
Ensure the contractor's full name, address, phone number, and other contact information is accurate and up-to-date.

Remember, never sign a blank contract, no matter what. Any reputable and professional company will have their paperwork ready and complete before you sign it. If changes must be made, they will amend the contract and present it to you again. Finally, keep a copy of the signed contract for your records.

Ace Foundation Repair always presents a complete and easy-to-understand contract to you and will walk you through it to make sure you understand anything.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Controlled Watering Can Save Your Foundation

2009-07-30T08:30:00.001-05:00

The Texas summer has settled in and -- at least here in the DFW Metroplex -- we're seeing a drought.

Keep in mind that your home's foundation moves up and down as the soil's moisture content changes. As long as foundation movement isn't much and doesn't damage the house, this up and down movement isn't a problem.

Using a controlled watering program keeps the soil's moisture content constant, thereby minimizing your home's foundation movement.

The simplest and least expensive way to water the soil around and under your foundation is with common soaker hoses. You can bury a soaker hose three inches deep and six inches from the edge of your foundation. By placing the hose so close to the foundation, the water to soak into the soil evenly.

Do not place hose directly against the foundation. When soil is dried and cracked (like what we get during the summer here in Dallas-Fort Worth), water travels along the cracks. This can cause the water to accumulate at the bottom of the grade beam. This water can then can cause the soil to loose some of its load bearing capacity. This will produce its own foundation problems. So, again, do not place the hose directly against the foundation but, rather, a short distance (less than a foot) from the foundation.

Follow these watering tips and you can help protect your foundation.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

7 Signs That You May Have Foundation Problems

2009-07-28T09:00:00.001-05:00

Foundation problems can show themselves in many ways. Below are seven common symptoms:

Doors stick or do not close all the way.
Gaps show between the garage door and the pavement (usually on one side of the garage door or the other).
Gaps appear at the corner of fascia trim.
Diagonal cracks in the wall at corners of doors and windows.
Windows stick or are otherwise difficult to open or close.
You can see cracks in the exposed grade beam of the house.
You find cracks in bricks and mortar.

If you see any of these things, you should contact a foundation repair professions. As always, get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

What is Epoxy Injection?

2009-07-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

Epoxy Injection is for concrete what welding is for steel. Often when a foundation fails, large cracks develop and remain in the flooring or grade beams even after foundation underpinning. These cracks can remain as weak points and/or can allow moisture to seep into the living area.

We repair foundation cracks by injecting a high strength epoxy resin under high pressure into the crack and sealing it. The makers of the resin claim that once the epoxy resin dries, the foundation won't crack in the same place again.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.