What is a Footing?

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.

Foundation Repair Glossary, The Entire List

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

4 Reasons to Fix Foundation Problems Now

• 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 Are Pressed Concrete Piers?

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.

Controlled Watering Can Save Your Foundation

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

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 are Voidfilling and Mudjacking?

Mudjacking

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.

Voidfilling

If the lift of a foundation creates a void under the slab's interior, then we use a technique called voidfilling. Voidfilling is basically the same procedure as mudjacking but with some key differences.

• We do not mix cement in our mud for voidfilling.
• We only use light pressure to pump the mud into the void.
• The foundation load is carried by our piers and not by the mud.
• Mudjacking carries no warranty, but our steel piers do.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Questions to Ask Any Foundation Contractor

Before have a contractor perform foundation repair, you should ask the following 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?

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

How does the Helical steel pier work in different soil types?

The Helical steel pier is engineered for different soil types and speed of installation even through subsurface water.

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

Would I be able to see a drainage problem?

Yes, if it's a surface water problem. No, if it's an underground water problem. An experienced foundation repair company can inspect, detect, repair, and prevent subsurface drainage problems.

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

How deep should building foundation piers go?

Helical steel piers should go deep enough until they reach a layer of soil or rock that provides sufficient torque resistance to hold the building.

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

How to Tell If You've Got Foundation Problems

Foundation problems can produce a variety of problems, including:

• Cracked sheet rock and / or brick mortar
• Doors that hang crooked in their frames
• Locks and dead bolts that are hard to open and close
• Cracks in ceramic tile
• Floors with a noticeable slope
• Your house making odd creaking sounds at night

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.