When homeowners notice cracks in your foundation along with doors and windows sticking many realize that they know nothing about these structural defects nor do they even know what their options are. Just knowing your options can lead many people to a solution that fits their home, situation and budget. Knowledge is power when it comes to the structural foundation repairs.

The chart below provides which foundation repair underpinning and wall support products are used across the country. This data is a cross section of information gathered over the past decade.

Contact your local foundation repair contractor or professional foundation engineer to find the best solution for your foundation problems.

Of the many projects New England Foundation and Stabilization Co. has reviewed and worked on, this small house is on the top of our list for the most severe settlement we have witnessed. Our company had reviewed this project several times under different owners until finally the settlement required repair of the structure or the city would declare it condemned. The entire perimeter of the structure had settled over years, but drastically along the front of the house. In some cases the structure had settled over 12 inches in less than a span of 12 feet. At one time, this neighborhood was a large dump site and the depth of fill in some areas exceeded 80 feet.

Large cracks were somewhat visible from the exterior and interior of the house. However a thin layer of fiberglass coating was parged onto the foundation to hide the deteriorating condition of the foundation to new buyers. The foundation had also rotated out from underneath the house up to 5”.

The interior of the structure also showed every significant sign of settlement in some of the most extreme conditions. From an extreme sloping floor, to sticking doors, floating walls, misaligned windows and frames, and cracked drywall.

The ECP Resistance and Helical Piles proved to be the perfect solution for this house. The Steel Piers are hydraulically pressed piles that fasten to the foundation and advance through the poor bearing soils that allowed the structure to settle. The Helical Piers are small “screw” piles that are torqued through the poor soils into good bearing strata. A total of 20 ECP Model 350 Piers were installed on the inside of the foundation wall. A total of 4 Helical Piles were installed for the new column supports at the beam. The average depth of the ECP Push Piers was 65 feet.

Once all the piers were installed the foundation was lifted using the ECP Resistance Piers. The center beam was also temporarily shored and lifted as we raised the foundation. Due to the concrete condition our lift was limited and a full restoration was not possible. However, in some areas we were able to achieve a lift of 8”. Once the foundation and beam was lifted, new columns were installed on the ECP Helical Piers. The foundation wall was also pushed back in effort to re-straighten the wall.

The owner of the property purchased it in hopes of restoring and flipping the house. His crews removed some areas of the horse hair plaster where cracks had occurred due to the large lift. They then re-plastered and refinished the interior finishes.

After several weeks completing the full renovation, this house was placed on the market. The new owners will be pleased to know that their foundation will no longer sink being guaranteed for 25 years by our manufacturer ECP Steel Pier System and New England Foundation and Stabilization Co.

Much of the Midwest, especially from Kansas City to Dallas has experienced a tremendous drought. The soils have dried out to the point where homes are settling everywhere. Record numbers of foundation are being repaired throughout the Midwest. When there is a spike in any home repairs, whether its roof replacement, basement waterproofing or foundation repairs, bad contractors pop up everywhere. These contractors come in and use cheap methods of repair and move on to the next area as soon as the work dries up.

Not all methods of foundation repair were created equal. In fact, most techniques rely on the very dry, unstable soil for support. When choosing a foundation repair method for your home, you should know what the contractor performing the repair is offering. If they use concrete cylinders, pressed concrete piles, bottle jacks or some other cheap repair method, run far away. If your local contractor uses a steel pier method that is designed and engineered, like the ECP Steel Piers, invite them in and get a written quote for your structural repairs.

High quality steel piers are driven through the soil until they reach bedrock or other load bearing material:

This insures that the structure will not depend on the expansive soils prevalent in Kansas and Texas.

Engineered and designed to last a lifetime:

The steel push pier method is the permanent solution to foundation problems, unlike concrete which may crack over time, steel piers last.

Each steel pier is individually tested to insure integrity:

Performing a synchronized lift or stabilization ensures high capacities and long term support.

Every ECP Steel Pier is mill certified and load tested for superior quality:

This insures that quality is not compromised, and is always superior.

Most projects are finished within a few days:

A typical project lasts no longer than 3-4 days, thanks to fully trained and skilled workers.

On the other hand, concrete pressed pilings or concrete cylinders are cheap and quick. Contractors use unskilled labor and low grade products to get in and out as quickly as possible leaving homeowners with short term fixes that almost always require regular adjustments due to ever changing weather conditions. These precast pressed piling are driven into the soil using bottle jacks and require soil friction for support. This is the same soil that is settling due to the dry weather.

Concrete pressed piles can crack or crumble under the homes load:

Concrete breaks under uneven loads due to misalignment

Precast concrete piles are unable to resist bending moments due to lateral loads:

Segmented piles are only held together by friction or a thin cable

Pressed concrete piles cannot attain sufficient depth:

6” diameter concrete cylinders cannot be driven deep enough for end bearing support

Many contractors use water-jetting to “lubricate” concrete pressed piles:

Injecting water into expansive soils is ill advised

Using cheap bottle jacks and shims to lift a structure as valuable as your home is not advisable:

Bottle jacks and human power does not compare to a hydraulic synchronized manifold lifting system as used on ECP Steel Piers.

Buyer beware, in times of tremendous drought. There are plenty of high quality foundation repair contractors available that use steel piering methods and will install them at reasonable prices. If you still are not convinced, contact an independent foundation engineer and ask him for his recommendation.

What is basement wall grade carbon fiber? We have all heard of it being used for race cars, NASA and tennis rackets, but basement wall reinforcement? Why would it be used in foundation repair applications?

Carbon fiber is lightweight, noncorrosive and virtually impossible to stretch. With a tensile strength of more than 350,000 psi makes it up to 10 times stronger than steel. Accordingly, high quality carbon fiber provides an alternative to such intrusive methods as installing steel beams with heavy equipment to brace and shore up foundation walls: no digging, jack hammering, moving utilities and duct work are required.

A foundation's structural integrity becomes compromised when hydrostatic and lateral earth pressures exceed the strength of a concrete or masonry wall. As lateral pressures press upon the foundation, basement or crawlspace walls bow inward. It’s effectiveness in counteracting such tendencies is based on standard engineering principles following Hookes law and a linear stress/strain relationship. For every action there is a reaction, the action is the soil pressing on the basement wall and the reaction is the carbon fiber applying a resistant force, making the wall stronger to help eliminate shifting, cracking and bowing.

One of the other big benefits of carbon fiber is its ease of use and aesthetics. You will not have I-beams lined across the basement wall. The thin layer of carbon fiber material can be painted over without creating an eye sore. Duct work and plumbing penetrations can be left alone due to its flexible nature.

In most residential situations where bowing basement walls occur there are several sets of forces which interact to cause the problem. The largest mobilizing force is the addition of lateral earth pressure (soil forces) in conjunction with hydrostatic pressure (water forces). These forces put a horizontal load on the wall which in turn creates a large amount of bending stresses on the masonry or concrete. The bending stress creates an unbalanced condition within the wall due to the very low tensile capacity of concrete and masonry, causing horizontal cracking in the structure. The weight of the structure above the wall helps generate a stabilizing compressive force on the wall until the lateral deflections become too large. As the wall deflects beyond the "center of mass" of the above structure a phenomenon known as the "beam-column effect" creates additional bending stresses on the damaged wall, speeding up deterioration. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP's) provide the required additional tensile force needed to fully develop the compressive strength and create a "balanced" situation within the wall to prevent further bowing and cracking. 

ECP Carbon Fiber products provide our customers with a durable, high strength, and aesthetically appealing fix to the common problem of bowing basement walls. The repairs are waterproof and can enhance the flexural capacity of steel reinforced and un-reinforced masonry walls the original capacity. The high stiffness of these Carbon-based products can stop lateral wall movement virtually instantaneously without the problems associated with steel alternatives including corrosion, aesthetics, obstructions, and lower strength capacities. The epoxy polymers used to bond the Carbon fiber systems to your basement wall have been successfully tested over 20,000 hours of continual exposure to resist chemicals, temperatures, and moisture much more aggressive than typical basement environments assuring a long-term repair.

Foundation repairs to your home and summer heat go hand in hand.

Spring is over, the outside temperatures start to rise and the rains slow down our focus needs to be on our foundations. Foundations are very susceptible to fluctuations in moisture level of soils. Spring brings moderate temperatures and steady rains. Summer brings high temperatures and dry weather. These fluctuations cause movement in your homes foundation which can result in cracks in basement walls and sticky doors and windows.

In the spring the weather is mild and wet, which causes the soil to become saturated and swollen. The wet soils expand and become very heavy around and under your homes foundation. Often you will notice new cracks in basement floors, drywall and foundations. These rigid surfaces show these signs of stress because of the expansive soils surrounding them and their movement.

As summer starts, the soil begins to dry out, crack and shrink. You will notice cracks to develop in your lawn and the soil pulling away from the foundation. As this continues the process goes deeper and deeper in your yard causing your foundation to settle. As the homes foundation starts to settle new cracks will develop vertically in the basement walls. These vertical cracks are due to differential settle or uneven settlement caused by different soil moisture levels around your home. The location of trees, flower gardens and shade will help determine the drying time and extent.

To prevent further foundation damage caused by soil movement foundation repairs become necessary. Whether it is helical tiebacks during the spring rains or steel push piers in the heat of the summer, slowing or stopping the movement is the key to preventing major structural damages. Foundation repair methods are successful when they move the bearing surface of the foundation to soils that are not affected by moisture changes in the upper levels of soils. By bearing on deep soils the foundation remains stable and less affected by active soils.

As the temperatures increase in your area keep an eye on soil moisture levels and any new cracks in your home. These are signs of future movements and potential foundation problems. While some will tell you that you can reverse the effects of drying soils with soaker hoses, the amount of water necessary to do this is usually unpractical. A simple one inch rain that falls on a 1,500 square foot roof equals nearly 1,000 gallons of water. When you add in the water that falls on your lawn it is simple to see replacing this quantity of water can become very difficult and expensive.

The small town of Dalton, Georgia is moving toward becoming the site of the largest solar field in the state. The project, owned by Georgia Power, will bring sustainable energy to the Dalton area for many years to come.

This solar panel project is made possible by the use of ECP helical piles installed by Atlas Piers of Atlanta. The efficient installation of helical piles allows for exact layout of the solar arrays and will provide years of support against wind and weather. The helical piles provided by Earth Contact Products are made from recycled steel which has been a perfect match for renewable energy sources such as solar.

Atlas Piers of Atlanta has used the efficient installation nature of the helical piles to keep phase 1 of the project on time while providing the project engineers a documented installation record. The documentation will provide project managers and engineers, proof of capacity and documentation of meeting design guidelines.

Atlas Piers of Atlanta helps Dalton Solar Plant Celebrate Groundbreaking, click on the following link to learn more: http://www.atlaspiers.com/commercial/solar-panel-foundations/

Foundation repair is defined as: the art of underpinning or stabilizing a structure that has moved from its originally constructed design. To underpin a home or structure one must extend the current foundation into a soil strata or layer that is deeper and more stable than the current soil that the foundation is resting upon. This is accomplished by providing additional support from the current footing or wall via piers, piles or anchors. Methods of foundation repairs include push piers, wall plate anchors, helical anchors or piers and concrete piles.

Those responsible for designing and instituting these methods include foundation engineers and professional foundation repair contractors. A foundation engineer is responsible to evaluate the structure in question and then provide a proposal for his design. Generally an engineer will recommend a foundation repair contractor to carry out his proposed plan for repair and then sign off on this plan upon the completion of fixing your foundation problem. While it is not always legally necessary for an engineer to be involved it is highly recommended anytime structural repairs are performed.

Poor soil conditions are the result of several primary factors. With suitable building sites becoming more scarce many home builders have been building houses on less than ideal lots. These subpar lots have less than suitable soil conditions to support many structures. There are also homes built on expansive soils that shrink and swell as rainfall and moisture levels change. Due to these conditions foundation support products must be utilized to supply support from deeper layers that are not as affected by fluctuating moisture levels. Underpinning provides a system to lift the home to an acceptable level and prevent additional settlement or movement.

Concrete slab on grade or pier and beam foundations are the most susceptible to weak or expanding clay soils. Due to the nature of having a large surface area resting on the uppermost soil layers these foundations have a tendency to move as the soil moves. Most concrete slab on grade homes are monolithically poured with the slab and beams cast together creating a rigid foundation. This rigid foundation becomes susceptible to differential settlement when moisture levels under the slab do not remain consistent. This can result from broken water lines, poor drainage or even inadequate guttering. Trees can also affect soils by their roots drying out areas under these slabs while the rest of the slab has normal moisture levels.

Differential soil or foundation settlement causes slab on grade foundations to rise on the perimeter or fall around the perimeter. Steel push piers and helical piers are generally an engineer’s recommended solution for these conditions. These piers penetrate through unstable soils down to a more consistent soil layer that has adequate strength to support the structure. These piering systems provide a deep foundation that can now be used to lift the foundation and to regain lost elevation levels.

In the case of homes with basements, expansive clay soils that have been over saturated with water can cause hydrostatic pressure on walls. This newly imposed pressure can cause wall bowing and concrete cracking. In extreme cases, catastrophic failure can occur from these wall stresses. When basement homes are originally designed it is with normal moisture content. Poor drainage often causes undue pressure to build behind basement walls exerting forces on the basement foundation. This is often the source of concrete cracking and water to infiltrate the space. Once again it is generally the differential movement that causes the foundation repair problem.

There are two common methods of fixing bowed basement walls. Plate Anchors (wall anchors) are an effective solution for many homes. These wall anchors are imbedded into competent soils beyond a zone of influence surrounding the structure. Threaded rods are then connected to these anchors on one end with the opposite end being attached to a wall plate inside the basement. With this system total excavation is not required and because of this additional soil load, wall recovery is accomplished over time with continued tightening of the anchor rods.

Next, there are helical tiebacks. This system of basement or retaining wall anchoring involves the complete excavation of the affected area. Helical anchors are screwed into the soil hydraulically, and then attached with a wall plate situated inside the basement wall. With the full excavation the wall can be instantaneously pulled back to plumb. The helical anchor can resist very heavy loads due to their design and the fact of their installation force equates to their resisting force.

The art of underpinning or stabilizing a structure that has moved from its originally constructed design must be performed by foundation repair expert under the guidance of professional engineers.

Reprinted from Ezine Articles.com

By: Patrick Donlea  United Structural Systems

Understanding all foundation repair or underpinning methods will help with your decision when deciding upon a foundation repair contractor. Some unscrupulous foundation repair contractors advertise that they can put in every type of piering system. Professional contractors concentrate on just one or two piering methods and master them. The contractors that claim to be a “jack of all trades” usually are the master of none. They generally take short cuts and due to the fact that they are not thoroughly trained in each specific method. Professional foundation repair contractors that pick a system or two and stick with it generally can master the methods and provide a better quality job. They may not have the answer for every situation but they will generally provide better quality work on the jobs that they accept. They are also more likely to be recommended by professional engineers. If an engineer is putting his reputation on the line they generally will recommend professioanl underpinning contractors to perform the work they specify.

Knowing the positives and negatives of each foundation repair system is one more step in getting a job well done. All commonly accepted methods have their place or application where they shine. Some methods, like steel push piers and helical anchors, are more adaptable to unique situations, yet even they have their limitations. Using the correct method for your particular application is the difference between a job well done and job that is less than satisfactory.

Steel push piers have an advantage over most systems in the fact that they are individually tested as they are installed. Professional underpinning contractors will monitor and record pressure readings and then compare them withstructural weights to determine capacities. They will also use a manifold lifting system to perform any lifting required to make sure that the lift does not put any undue pressure on the structure. Professioanl engineers prefer manifold lifting systems espeecially high pressure (10,000psi) systems that can be controlled from a single place.

Helical pier systems are another very popular system recommended by many professioanl engineers. Helical pier are "screwed" in the soil using a helical gear motor or torque motor. Once again pressures and torque reading are montiored and recorded to establish capacities. Without carefully monitoring these reading a verifiable capacity cannot be assumed. Professioanl engineers generally want to review these readings to verify that the helical piers have reached soil layers that can support the structure. Manifold lifting systems are once again the preffered method of lifting.

Simply, homeowners need to ask questions of engineers and underpinning contractors before choosing a contractor. Stay away from the jack of all trades and also be wary of the contractor who does not use a manifod lifting system. Many of these contractors use simple bottle jacks in their attempt to lift structures. These are all simple clues that you need to keep looking for a professional contractor to work on your most valuable asset, your home. As always hiring a independent professional engineer is the best course of action before any foundation repairs are started.

French drains, a form of subsurface drain, utilizes a buried perforated pipe installed in a gravel bed with a geo-textile fabric envelope lining the trench. Water from the surrounding soil enters the gravel bed, flows into the drain pipe and utilizes gravity to flow towards the discharge point.

The three most frequently used type of french drain pipe systems for residential and commercial applications are smooth sewer and drain pipe, corrugated plastic pipe and poly drain pipe. Smooth wall sewer and drain pipe is rigid and manufactured from PVC or Polyethylene. Due to its rigid nature it is easier to maintain a continuous slope in critical areas by spanning over uneven trenches. Corugated pipe is manufactured from high density polyethylene and is available in 10' - 250' rolls. Since corrugated pipe is flexible, it can follow contours of the ground and wrap around corners without couplings or elbows. Poly drian pipe (EZ-Flow) is a self contained french drain system that combines corrugated pipe with a poly aggregate wrapped in geo-fabric. This system eliminates the need for gravel sepaate geo-textile cloth.

Each of the above mentioned drain pipe systems have perforations or slits to allow water in and directing this water down stream to a discharge point. Discharge points can be grates, drywells or popup emitters. French drains are the most common method for evacuating excess ground water which has infiltrated into the soil. If the gravel is run to the top of the trench you can also direct surface water down through the aggregate to the pipe system preventing water in unwanted areas such as near foundations or across patios and sidewalks.

A well designed and installed french drain system can prevent foundation repairs and basement flooding. By stopping surface and ground water from comng into contact with foundation components, basements will stay dry and foundations will rremain more stable. Understanding water flow and pipe capacities are key components to a well designed french drain system. Many foundation repair and basement waterproofing contractors have been trained to diagnose and solve ground water issues, but it is always advisable to consult with a professional engineer when dealing with foundation issues.

The following article is from KansasCity.com by Alan Goforth

Though homeowners are finally getting a break as summer nears its end, they might be in for an unpleasant surprise when they take a closer look at their driveways, sidewalks or patios.

“We are looking at a lot more work than we usually do,” said Rob Kramer, owner of KC Pro, a foundation repair company in Kansas City. “Although we do repair work year-round, we generally see more business when it’s dry and the soils have drawn down.”

The always-changing climate in the Kansas City area is tough on concrete, said Perry Hochkammer, owner of Black-Jack Grout Pumps in Rockford, Ill., and president of the American Pressure Grouting and Mudjacking Association.

“Parts of the country with cycles of freezing and thawing always see the most problems,” he said.

A cost-effective solution to settling concrete is a simple process with an interesting name — mudjacking. Workers drill 2-inch to 5-inch holes into slabs of concrete that have settled and pump in a mixture that can include topsoil, lime ash and portland cement. This mixture both fills the voids and raises the slab to its original level. After the surface is leveled, the drill holes are filled with concrete.

The term “mudjacking” may be a bit misleading, said Dennis Morgan, owner of Pro Foundation Technology Inc., which has locations in Raytown and Columbia. The company was founded in 1978 and has been doing mudjacking since 1990.

“We should use a different term than mudjacking, but that is what most people recognize,” he said. “It should be slab jacking. We don’t use mud anymore but a mixture of lime and portland cement.”

The term made sense when the process was developed nearly four decades ago, Hochkammer said.

“Workers initially used hot asphalt and then switched to a black topsoil blend,” he said. “Over the years, organic material such as topsoil and mud begin to break down. Now we use more stable materials such as lime ash and portland cement.”

KC Pro uses a slurry of pulverized topsoil and portland cement, said Kramer, who has 17 years of repair experience. The slurry is thickened as needed. Pro Foundation Technology also has been working with a high-density polyurethane on projects for the Missouri and Kansas transportation departments.

“Polyurethane does the same thing but lasts longer,” Morgan said. “It’s very light and doesn’t burden the soil as much. Some homeowners also are starting to use it, although it costs a little more. Smaller holes are required, which is an advantage if you are working on a nice patio, for example.”

The slow economy has helped the mudjacking business, with customers finding it more economical to repair than replace damaged concrete.

“Typically, when the economy is faltering, mudjacking is a good alternative to replacement for municipalities and homeowners on tight budgets,” Hochkammer said. “Mudjacking to raise concrete costs about one-fourth as much as replacement.”

Kramer agrees.

“The economy has not affected our business very much,” he said. “The average cost of a project is $600 to $700, which is much easier to come up with than $5,000 to $6,000 for replacement.”

As with any type of project, the bigger the problem, the higher the cost.

But, Kramer said, “The smaller the pieces of concrete, the more difficult it is to use mudjacking. We can lift the bigger pieces, but the smaller ones will fall out. People need to contact us before the concrete begins breaking into small pieces.”

Indications of sinking concrete are hard to miss.

“The most common sign that most people see is a speed bump as they pull into their garage,” Morgan said.

It pays to shop around.

Hochkammer said: “The best place to go is the Better Business Bureau. Companies should provide at least three references. My association ( www.apgma.com) also can help if you have trouble finding a good local company.”

As summer winds down, local mudjacking businesses urge homeowners to keep a close eye on concrete surfaces.

“We will have a lot of calls after this hot weather,” Morgan said.

“The Kansas City area is good for business.”

We have all heard about the strength and unique properties of carbon fiber. It is used in many high tech applications such as car racing, mountain bikes, fishing poles, golf clubs and baseball bats. What do all of these things have in common - the need to produce high strength and light weight in a small package. As carbon fiber materials have evolved and become more price competitive, new applications and opportunities have evolved into our mainstream lives. One of these applications is in our homes as a foundation repair method for bowing and cracked basement walls.

Using its thin profile and tremendous strength carbon fiber, when applied to basement walls, can reinforce problem foundations. Over 20 years of Large-Scale Testing for applications that include repair and strengthening of concrete, masonry, steel, and wood structures support carbon fiber systems. In each of these tests, carbon fiber was shown to out-perform steel alternative repairs. Carbon fiber products never corrode like steel and offer greater tensile strengths without the obstructions or adversely effecting the look of your basement wall.

As with all products in the foundation repair business, it all comes down to precise application of the products more than the individual products themselves. Carbon fiber materials must be installed correctly and by approved foundation repair contractors to provide their full benefit. Just because a contractor offers a product does not mean that this person has been properly trained in its application. Understanding this and hiring a qualified structural repair contractor is the first step in getting your foundation walls repaired correctly.

Top 5 reasons why steel piers are the best foundation repair method:

For more information about steel piers and foundation repair

Posted by Jonathan Maguire, Atlas Piers of Atlanta 

Garage Column failure is a very common issue around the Atlanta metro area.  In fact, Garage Column settlement is one of the top 3 issues we see in foundation failures.  So what is it and how do you fix it?

Garage Columns are the center columns between two or more garage doors into a garage.  The Column is generally a structural element that carries either a brick load, beam load or header load.  What this means is that the column generally carries a concentrated load where other parts of the home carry a line load across a continuous footing (think of the house over the garage door openings, instead of sitting on the ground they area passed to either side of the opening).

When many houses were built, the soils for the garage were moved into the area (especially when there is a basement) and then compacted.  In many cases, the builder or grader failed to compact the soils enough to carry a concentrated load.  These poorly compacted soils can cause the garage column to settle over time – if you have a brick house then you will have a crack above the garage column as this happens.  As a result of the failure, you may also notice sheet rock cracks in any rooms above the garage.  You may see a crack on either side of the garage floor where the floor slopes towards the middle.

The fix for this failure is typically to install 1-2 helical piers.  In years past, when helical piers were not used as much, we would install resistance or push piers.  It was a dangerous process, that put unnecessary stress on the column and resulted in many companies having warranty issues.  Overall, it’s not a good idea to install a push pier under a garage column.

The typical installation for garage columns is to remove the driveway slab around the column, install 1 helical pier on either side of the column and then lift the column back in to place.  Many of the cracks in the brick veneer will close, but you may still need to repoint (fill in) the mortar for a better look.

Some of the unknowns in repairing garage columns are 1) footing or grade beam under the garage slab, 2) depth of the helical piers, 3) lift results.  Give Atlas Piers of Atlanta a call to determine what solution is best for you.

Why is it happening?

Clogged Gutters – The gutter system is the most important and effective way to keep your home dry.  Keep the gutters free of leaves and debris to ensure water flow.

Improper Grading – The soil grading around the perimeter of home needs to have slope or fall away from the foundation.  Areas not sloped properly need fill dirt to drain effectively.

Downspout Discharge – If downspouts don’t effectively discharge water away from home (6-10 feet), they could be adding to the problem.  A “recycling effect” can take place where downspout discharge runs toward the home and into your footing drain.

Hydrostatic Pressure Build-Up – Hydrostatic pressure on a basement will cause the water to find the path of least resistance into your basement causing flooding. 

Clogged or No Footing Drains – Having a working French drain piping system around the perimeter of the home is essential.  Footing drains is your home’s way of controlling hydrostatic pressure.  As always, proper installation techniques are the key to the lifespan of the system.

Cracks in Walls and Floors – Unfortunately, concrete will eventually crack and water will always find it.  Cracks in walls and floors will allow water, which is under hydrostatic pressure, to enter.

Plumbing Leaks – Interior and exterior plumbing leaks are obviously a major contributor to water damage to a structure.  Exterior leaks could be putting undo hydrostatic pressure on your basement.

During June of each year TEI takes three days to hold a school for the installation of the popular Titan Hollow Bar Micropiles. 2010 was no exception as 22 people from around the country headed to the TEI Rock Drill facility in Montrose, Co. Instructors from TEI, Con-Tech, ECP and local drill contractors presented information in a classroom setting during the morning hours. The afternoon was set aside for hands on drilling, equipment safety and repair instruction by Con-Tech and TEI employees.

Classes were held in the warehouse at TEI opposed to the previous location at the Holiday Inn. The new setting was very popular with attendees, due to the ability of stopping a discussion and taking the entire group outside and explain questions with product and equipment at everyones disposal. TEI is currently discussing the possibility of creating a full-time classroom in the warehouse that would double as an interanl company safety meeting gathering point.

Jeff Tully, ECP, once again presneted the ECP Micropier bracketing system. The underpinning system for hollowbar micropiles has gained acceptance in the industry as the premier underpinning bracketing system. The ECP Model 350MP pier bracket was jointly developed by TEI and Earth Contact Products to fill a demand for a high quality underpinning bracket that can be used in the commercial and residential micro pile markets. The patent pending bracket is based upon ECP's line of underpinning brackets for helical anchors and steel push piers along with TEI's man-portable drill rigs (MP250 and MP260). Terry Burnell of Mountain Highwall Concrete Contractors gave the system great praise and shared the success his company has had since using the Model 350MP underpinning system.

Courses were taught in load calculations, testing techniques, installation methods, and grouting. Instructors included Dan Mclean, Contech Systems, Bill Patterson, TEI Rock Drills, Jeff Tully, Earth Contact Products and more. Terry Brunel, Mountain Highwall, and Kyle Vanderburg, Mays Construction, both local contractors gave case studies on some of their local projects. On Thursday afternoon the entire class was able to visit one of Terry's job sites to watch the installation of some Titan bars in real time. Terry's crew also demonstated a tension load test on this same project. Norman Parsons headed up the load test and was very informative in his explaination of testing procedures and requirements.

To keep your basement dry, the first thing you need to do is control rain water runoff. The most common source of rain water is the water which comes from our roofs. This water can come in very large volumes and create a massive flow of water around your foundation. A two inch Spring rain is equal to almost 2,000 gallons of water from a 30 X 50 residential roof. If this 2,000 gallons of water is not directed away from your foundation, it can cause cracking and flooding inside the home.Directing your downspouts directly into a drain pipe is a fairly common and simple solution to controlling rain water runoff. This is as simple as digging a trench and laying a solid drain pipe inside this trench and directing it at least 10’ away from the foundation. The outlet can be a simple emitter, drain grate or if adequate slope is available, daylighting works. This type of system is very common and with proper pitch and sizing it can be very efficient. The downsides to a direct connection system are clogging or freezing.

Another very effective method of controlling downspout discharge is the use of a catch basin. The catch basin is placed directly below the downspout outlet and serves as a collection point which transfers the water to a solid drain pipe and then to an emitter or grate. The distinct advantage of the catch basin is the grate, which covers the top of the unit. This grating serves as a filter to prevent debris from clogging your underground pipe. Simply wiping off the grate periodically will keep the system working efficiently.

The other benefit of a catch basin is its ability to collect pooling surface water. If your soil is not adequately sloped away from the foundation, the catch basin can collect some of this surface water and drain it away just as it does with the rain water from the roof.

Catch basins come in a variety of sizes and outlet configuration which should be taken into consideration when designing your system. Basin selection will be a function of anticipated water volume, piping size and depth and water source layout. This is best done by a water management expert or landscape architect / engineer. Next is the fun part - grate selection. Catch basin grate selection is very broad to the point that you can pick color, style and material based on the aesthetics and volume required. Plastic, green and black being the most common, is the most economical. Brass, copper or chrome would be a more personal statement that can add to the overall landscape design, but more expensive.

Whichever method you choose, direct connection to a solid drain pipe or the catch basin design, the key is to collect storm water runoff and direct it away from the foundation. Remember, the goal is to protect your home from flooding and foundation damage.

OCEAN HOUSE, WATCH HILL, WESTERLY, RI

After two weeks at the new Ocean House Luxury Hotel, New England Foundation and Stabilization Co. completed the ECP (Earth Contact Products) Helical Torque Anchors to support the proposed event tent on the south lawn of the property that overlooks Watch Hill.


The Helical anchors were recessed into lawn boxes that can be accessed when the tent is erected and will provide support to the tent guy wires, allowing proper tensile support in a strong wind load area, and ease of erecting and removing the tent during event set-up and tear down.

OCEAN HOUSE HOTEL

HELICAL PIER INSTALLATION

Once the piers were installed they were cut and capped using a custom pier cap that was welded to the pier pipe and connected to a clevis that will allow for easy attachment of the tent guy wires. 

Due to a septic leaching field, one line of the Helical Anchors had to be designed to straddle between the septic fields and the guy wire attachments were connected via channel welded to the Helical Anchors. 

Once the anchors were installed and capped, the site contractor graded the lawn and placed the lawn boxes that will be recessed into the lawn.   

Due to cold weather striking early, the new turf was not able to be placed, therefore temporary lawn was hydro-seeded and fenced off while the remaining landscaping continues. Next spring this lawn will be ready for use and tents will be assembled and disassembled with ease for events along this beautiful shore line. 

The one thing that nobody tells you about homeownership is the major problems that can happen. There are appliances that quit working, roofs that leak and basement walls that crack or settle. Foundation settling or shifting can be caused by many things. Before any foundation repairs can be made these items have to be identified and accepted. In the medical world the old adage is “cure the disease, and then treat the symptoms”. This is applicable to foundation repair also, we need to find out what is causing the issue, why is it causing a problem and then finding a solution to the problem.

The most common reason for foundation problems is water. Often it’s a lack of moisture and sometimes it is too much water. Issues with gutters, downspouts or drain tile are common. Drainage blocks are mostly due to leaves, debris, or failure. In a few cases the blockage causes the sump pump to reuse water that erodes and saturates soils along the basement. Rain water should be diverted away from the foundation to stop hydrostatic pressure on the foundation and floors. In times of drought water might need to be applied near the foundation to maintain more consistent soil moisture content.

Many times foundation problems, followed by foundation repairs, manifest themselves in the form of serious cracking of slabs or basement floors. Basement floor slab cracking can happen for several reasons. They can be significantly thinner than the plan requested or the sub base of stone may be significantly thinner than originally called for. Heaving often ends cracking as well.

Most drywall cracks appear in the corner of doorframes or windows and result from differential movement between framing and the drywall. Some wood frame movement can be due to standard processes such as shrinkage or temperature expansion.

Homes with a crawlspace sometimes show recurring damage patterns. Often a few vertical cracks in the crawlspace open and close seasonally. Due to their shallow foundation nature these cracks grow noticeably during intense times of drought or rain. Among several potential factors , these shallow footings may rest on expansive soil that experiences more acute cycles of shrink and swell, which is often aggravated by landscaping.

Repairing damaged foundations represents the greatest engineering challenge for a known problem. Wrongly supported pilasters, concrete piers , random crack filling, misapplication of carbon fiber strips and the engineering conviction that wider footings stop settlement are  examples of potential ill-conceived foundation repair methods.

The foundation fix starts with a total foundation inquiry by a competent foundation engineer. This engineer will visit the symptoms and measure the settlement of the structure while reading the appearances of damaged foundations. Upon completing his inquiry he will then give a written outline of the problems with suggestions for a cure.

Possible cures can be steel resistance piers, helical anchors, micropiles, tie-backs, plate anchors or waterproofing. With correct drainage, when these underpinning products are installed, per manufacturer’s specifications and under the guidance of the foundation engineer you can be warranted that your problem will be solved.

So, if you are having foundation problems, don’t panic. There are solutions to help, there are qualified engineers to help you and there are competent foundation repair contractors available to enact these solutions.

Have you ever noticed how many foundation repair companies use pressed concrete piers? Pressed concrete piers are the most typically used piers for several reasons, the question is, are these reasons good ones? For the contractor they are the most cost effective pier to install. For the contractor they are least expensive to purchase. For the contractor they are the easiest to install.

For the contractor concrete pressed piers require the least amount of material for him to purchase. For the contractor they require the least amount of equipment to install.While this is a real reflection of the low costs of concrete cylinders and the work to install these piers, it’s also a reflection of the quality, or lack thereof, of the contractors who install them. Many pressed pier contractors are using cheap hydraulic bottle jacks to press these cylinders. This low tech approach is one of the reasons that many foundation engineers will not recommend their use. These are the reasons that pressed concrete pier contractors advertise the lowest prices. If a low price is more important than a real repair then pressed concrete piles is your answer.

An ironic advertising gimmick that pressed pile contractors use against steel piers is that steel rusts. What they do not tell you is that they use thin steel shims between the concrete piles and the footing. They forget to tell you that they use steel cables inside the piles to keep things aligned or add to lateral strength. If you notice they do not use galvanized steel they use black, thin unprotected steel. There are even some contractors using steel piles below their concrete pier section to achieve a deep foundation pier. This is a clear admission that their pressed concrete cylinders do not drive deep enough to effectively support your foundation. So if they integrate steel in their piles, why do they not switch to a high quality galvanized steel piling system? Simply, the cost will increase and they cannot compete.

Another gimmick that pressed concrete pile contractors use is high pressure water jetting. This is when the contractor uses pressurized water to soften the soils below their pier as a means to drive the pile deeper. Sounds good, its reasonable, right? Well, lets think about what generally causes foundation failures; water. Yes water is the number one culprit of foundation failure. Now these contractors are injecting water under your foundation in an attempt to fix it? Ask any engineer if he recommends injecting water under your foundation as a good way to stabilize the home. It is pretty obvious that his answer will be “not under any circumstances”.

When you have foundation problems and you are looking for a solution, remember a few simple things before hiring a contractor. First, is the cheapest solution likely the best solution? Second, will the piers be driven deeply enough to provide support? Does the contractor use specialized equipment and products recommended by a professional engineer? Finally, will the techniques employed by the foundation repair contractor truly fix your problem or will it only mask the problems?

Project Information: 

Washington Middle School was being renovated and it was discovered that it was experiencing some differential settlement. Soil borings indicated the presence of fill material below the foundation. Traditional steel resistance underpinning and helical underpinning were selected originally by the design engineers as the choice of remediation. Upon review of the soil information, UDI was concerned with the capabilities of these underpinning methods due to the soils information provided. It would be possible for the helical piers to encounter cobbles/floaters in the fill thus negating the installation. The use steel resistance piers likewise could become compromised by the nature of the fill. To solve this UDI proposed the installation of small diameter hollow bar micropiles. The main advantage of the method would be the penetration of the fill material into the 'good' material below the cobbled fill.      

The passive installation of the micropiles would also allow for a greater factor of safety in strength and parameters. UDI mated Titan's 40/20mm hollow bar micropiles with Earth Contact Products MP 350 Underpinning Bracket (75,000-99,000 lbs capacity) to provide a competent underpinning system. UDI excavated the site and prepared the footings during the first day of operation. Once the brackets were mounted, UDI installed the micropiles, coring and simultaneously grouting the bars as they drilled 35' through the cobbled fill and into the good strata. Upon completion UDI’s crew was able to stabilize and lift the structure with the MP350 micropile bracketing system. By utilizing this application, UDI was able to complete the project with a three man crew in just over three days. UDI's vast experience in dealing with different underpinning techniques provided an economical solution to an otherwise difficult situation. 

The service industry has always relied on marketing to promote their wares and service. Sometimes the truth is stretched in these promotions to create excitement in the consumer. Often times these promoters attach themselves to keywords or terms that are in vogue. Recently this has happened in the foundation repair industry with the term – Hybrid.

The definition of hybrid is – the combination of two or more different things, aimed at achieving a particular goal or objective. On the surface this sounds good and globally responsible ideas pop into our minds. In 2009 hybrid congers up the idea of “Green Technologies” and smaller carbon footprints, and this is exactly why marketers use the term hybrid.

In the foundation repair industry hybrid pier systems are the combination of two or more differing materials to achieve an objective. Sounds great doesn’t it. But, what is the objective? And, does combining any two or more materials always create a better product? Well with out question the objective is to sell more product for the manufacturer. This may not necessarily be good for the consumer, just more expensive. Next, just because you combine two or more materials together does not mean that it will perform better that either of the materials alone. Combining oil and water does not make better oil or better water.

 Today we hear about combining steel and concrete to make “hybrid” foundation repair systems. They will advertise “the best of both worlds”, “the strength of steel with the benefits of concrete”. Well this sounds good but you must look past the advertising and see the engineering. Placing steel piers below concrete cylinders actually will take away the advantages of the steel piers and hamper the strength of the concrete. They say that they use steel to achieve depth (reading between the lines – concrete cylinders do not drive deep enough to supply support) and concrete in the upper soil zones to prevent corrosion. If this is the case, then why do they use steel shims at the very top of their system? Next, if the steel piers are galvanized to structural standards how are they going to corrode?

The next thing to think about is how will they drive the steel piers to the required depth if they are putting shallow driving concrete cylinders on top of the steel pier sections? The truth is, they will drive deeper than they were with concrete segmented piles alone but not as deep as true engineered steel piering systems.

Another combination of steel and concrete is to fill the steel pipe with a cement or grout mixture to “increase strength”. Sounds good, but does it work? Well let us look at it from a logic stand point (marketing people hate this), if the grout mixture is not as strong as the steel will it really increase the strength of the system? No! Adding a weaker component to a strong component will not make the system stronger it only makes it a hybrid. Do not fall for this smoke and mirrors advertising. The simple solution is to ask an engineer what they recommend. Engineers do not fall prey to slick commercials and fast talking salesmen, they look at numbers, calculations and sound engineering practices.

So remember, if you want to buy a hybrid car to save money on fuel and leave a smaller carbon footprint – great buy it. If you want something to support your home or commercial building permanently listen to an engineer and require the highest quality steel piering system available that incorporates a manifold lifting system.

Crawl space foundations are a very popular type of construction throughout the US and many homeowners know that many crawlspaces have one inherent drawback – sagging floors. Floors that are sagging or not level create many issues for homeowners from cracked tiles and squeaky floors to potentially failed foundations. These issues require that homeowners seek a solution for supporting these floors to original height and levelness. The problem is the many flawed systems designed to provide homeowners relief.

The first aspect to review when looking for foundation repair solutions is to understand the cause of the problem. In the construction of a crawlspace foundation, piers are placed below the support beams to give support for the home. These piers can be made from a variety of materials ranging from concrete blocks to wooden posts. These piers rest upon either shallow concrete pads or lightly compacted soils. Over time these piers move with the soil due to fluctuation in soils moisture, freeze – thaw cycles or soil compaction due to water intrusion. As the pier sinks into the soil the floor is no longer supported, hence sagging floors.

Many poor foundation repair contractors place ill-conceived solutions such as steel posts or by simply encapsulating the crawl space with a vapor barrier in an effort to control the moisture. By supplementing a crawl space foundation with steel posts, resting on the soil or even a shallow foundation (<7’ deep), is a temporary fix at best. Obviously resting a new support in the same fashion as the failed piers will not work for long. If the foundation repair or waterproofing contractor installs an encapsulation system without a deep foundation support system this will only slow the settlement without solving the problem.

Installing a deep foundation support system is best done by using a steel push pier system that drives steel pier pipe down to a load bearing soil well below soils that are affected by moisture. Earth Contact Products, the leading resistance pier manufacturer, has developed such a system. ECP’s Model 200 crawl space pier system is specifically designed for crawl spaces and other limited access areas. This system uses the weight of the structure to drive the pier pipe to a load bearing stratum and then using a unique manifold system the structure is simultaneously lifted and locked into place providing a solid, secure foundation for your home.

Understanding the positives and negatives of each foundation repair method will help with your decision when picking a foundation repair contractor. Some contractors advertise that they can put in every type of piering system, other concentrate on just one or two piering methods. The “jacks of all trades” usually are the master of none. They generally take short cuts and due to the fact that they are not thoroughly trained in each specific method. The foundation repair contractors that pick a system or two and stick with it generally can master the methods and provide a better quality job. They may not have the answer for every situation but they will generally provide better quality work on the jobs that they accept.

The next thing that you need to know is the positives and negative (limitations) of each foundation repair method. All commonly accepted methods have their place or application where they shine. Some methods, like steel push piers and helical anchors, are more adaptable to different situations, yet even they have their limitations. Using the correct method for your particular application is the difference between a job well done and job that is only a temporary band aid.

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When it comes to foundation repair work on your home, there are several choices that need to be made. These choices range from using helical piers or steel push piers, waterproofing or underpinning, concrete segmented piles or steel push piers or even eccentric vs. concentric piers. You will hear proponents for each different type of foundation repair underpinning system, you will also hear many different reasons why some steel push piers are better than other steel push piers. Wading through all of this information is the key to finding the right method and means of repairing your home. Here we will focus on the differences in  piering systems, specifically eccentric piers verses concentric piers. First we must define the terms eccentric and concentric. An eccentric piering systems is one who’s pile axis is not in line with its applied load. A concentric pier is a pier bracket and pile who’s axis is in line with the applied load. Below is an example of both an eccentric and a concentric pier.

                                           Eccentric Push Pier                                           Concentric Push Pier  

Next, you must categorize these piering systems. 

                                               Eccentric Piers                                   Concentric Piers            

                                               Steel Push Piers                                    Steel Push Piers           

                                               Helical Piers                                         Segmented Concrete Piers           

                                               Micro Piers                                          Hybrid Piers 

For foundation repair applications, helical piers are always eccentric in nature. The helical sections are installed through the bracketing system from the side of the pier. Micropiers are also installed through the bracketing systems from the side of the pier. The major reason for this is the relatively large equipment used to install these types of systems cannot fit below the wall or footing.  

Segmented Concrete Piles are installed directly below the footing and then a bracket or platform is installed on top of the pile to transfer the applied load to the pier. Hybrid piers are the latest concept in underpinning products. These pier systems generally use concrete filled steel pier sections installed directly below the footing and then either a steel bracket or concrete block is placed on top to transfer the load to the pier. These hybrid piers are marketed as the best of both worlds, in reality they are compromise of both worlds. They do not provide the full benefits of steel piers and they have the same negatives as the segmented concrete piles. 

As noted above, steel push piers can be eccentric or concentric in nature. Each manufacturer generally determines which design best fits their manufacturing and design capabilities and sticks with that style. Only Earth Contact Products has successfully designed and engineered both types of systems for residential use. 

What is better, eccentric or concentric? Well that is the $64,000 question. There is no real answer, because both, if designed properly and applied properly, will work well. While an eccentric designed pier requires more engineering and tighter quality control, not only can they work well but some have worked well for over 30 years. This is not to say all eccentric piers have good engineering behind them. Many are manufactured around cost constraints opposed to good engineering. Concentric steel piers are a lower tech solution that has many application advantages over its rival, the eccentric pier. They can be installed with less footing modification, they can be installed in lower headroom areas and they require less installation equipment to use. 

Concentric piers are great for crawl spaces due to the fact that a tall drive stand is not needed to drive the pier sections. For eccentric piers to be used in a crawl space you will need either a fairly deep crawl space or you will have to cut through the flooring to make room for the drive stand. Concentric piers are also not affected by deep brick ledges or other obstacles like their competition.  

The down side to most concentric piers is in their lifting or stabilization of structures. Most concentric piers do not allow room for anything more than a bottle jack (car jack) for lifting. They are pressured up with the bottle jack and then simple shims are placed between the bracketing system and the footing,  the footing is then lowered onto the pier system. Bottle jacks are very undesirable for a couple of reasons. First, the structure is over lifted to allow for the steel shims (similar to segmented concrete piles). Next, with bottle jacks, the installer has no way to measure or control the hydraulic pressure applied to the structure. Most engineers frown on the use of bottle jacks for structural repairs. 

There is only one concentric pier available, that uses a hydraulic manifold lifting system and is continuously adjustable, on the market today. The Earth Contact Products Model 200 uses a hydraulic manifold system, the same system used on their eccentric push piers. This system was designed by engineers for engineers to allow for critical infinite adjustability and control in lifting structures. The Model 200 also uses a patented adjusting platform that does not require over lifting or shims. This unique combination has created large demand and acceptance of this particular concentric piering system. 

As you can see there are many variables and styles of underpinning pier systems available. So how do you choose the one that is right for your home? This is the easy part. First, hire an engineer and let him help determine your foundation repair needs. Then take your new found knowledge out into the market and wade through the variety of foundation repair contractors and find one that installs a quality piering system that has been designed and engineered to perform on your home. No bottle jacks, no shims, no shallow installation methods, just good engineering and manufacturing by a quality foundation repair company. Now, whether you are in Dallas, Texas, Kansas City, Kansas or Columbus, Ohio get out there and get your home fixed correctly and permanently.

Foundation repair is not something most of us like to think about. We tend to ignore it and hope that fixes itself. Foundation problems can be a stressful, potentially costly endeavor, filled with uncertainty, particularly if not done under the direction of a professional contractor or foundation engineer. 

Foundation Repair is needed when your foundation begins to settle or move laterally. This can be caused by building on expansive clay, compressible or improperly compacted fill soils, or improper maintenance around foundations.  

Foundation repairs aren't easily performed, so you cannot sit back and hope for the best. You must do your homework to find the best foundation repair contractor for the job. As usual, the lowest price is not always the best way to go. If you choose to make your final decision based on price, be prepared to be disappointed. Quality repairs take specialized equipment and specially trained people to perform the work. 

Needed foundation repair work can not be ignored. The traditional answer to foundation repair has been to erect piers to jack up the foundation and raise it off the expansive clay soil. The piers must be installed through the expansive or weak soils to stabilize the structure. Foundation repair can be the most expensive repair that you will make to a property. There are four major categories for this type of piering – steel push piers, helical piers, micro piles and concrete piles. Each of these have their benefits and logical applications. 

Steel push piers are hydraulically driven piers that use the weight of the structure to drive steel pier material through the soil until they reach a load bearing stratum for support. Once the pier material is driven, individual hydraulic cylinders are attached to each pier and the structure is either stabilized or lifted using a hydraulic manifold system. Steel push piers are best suited for basements, crawl spaces or other heavy structures. 

Helical piers are similar to push piers except they are screwed through the soil and use a steel plate, flight, to support the pile within layers of good soil. These piles must be monitored very closely upon installation to achieve their intended depths. Once an adequate depth is achieved, once again, a hydraulic manifold lifting system is installed to lift or stabilize the structure. These helical piers are ideally suited to light weight structures that only need a small lift or stabilization. 

Micro piles are hydraulically driven hollow steel piers that are filled with grout during installation or immediately upon completion. The hollow bar serves not only as structural steel but also as a means inject the grout. These high capacity piers use the same type of manifold lifting system as steel push piers and helical piers. While these piles have very large capacities and can be installed in soils that other piles cannot be installed in, they also require much more equipment for installation which make them more expensive to install. They are best suited for very heavy structures sitting upon poor soils laden with cobbles, boulders and trash. 

Concrete piers are piers that use a drilled hole filled with concrete that rely on skin friction for support. They are drilled or dug into the soil, usually beyond the active soils, and then filled with concrete. Once the concrete has hardened, a shimming system is usually employed to support the structure. These piers are not only messy but take much longer to complete. 

Foundation repair is critical to address as soon as you suspect a problem. For starters, the sooner you fix a failing foundation, the less damage it will cause. Due to the complexity of foundation repairs the best advice is to hire an engineer followed by a trained foundation repair contractor. These professionals will make sure that your home is fixed correctly and permanently. Do not ignore your foundation problems have them fixed by the pros.

Earth Contact Products is proud to introduce it newest piering system in their lineup of steel push piers. The ECP Perfect Pier is a patented concentric resistance pier for the foundation repair market. The pier is designed to be placed and installed below the footing and driven to a load bearing stratum while maintaining ECP’s stringent requirement of executing a manifold lifting system. These two features makes the Perfect Pier system the most unique foundation repair bracket since ECP introduced their patent pending Micro Pier bracket.

The ECP Perfect Pier underpinning system is specially designed to be used in crawl spaces and other limited access areas of a home or commercial building. Due to it’s compact size and lack of a drive stand the pier system can be used in limited access areas while maintaining an adjustable platform by which to lift a structure. This unique combination gives foundation repair contractors and homeowners alike a safe means to support structures without altering the structure. Do not get fooled by imitations demand the original ECP push pier system.

For more information about the ECP Perfect Pier contact Weston Opat @ 866-327-0007.

US Patent # 7,044,686

Earth Contact Products’ Steel Piers^™ were selected to support and restore this office building after the owner determined that the entire structure had settled between 1/8 inch and 3-5/8 inches.  The settlement was most likely caused by consolidation of fill soil on the lot.  Merit Structures and Restoration Company from Midvale, Utah installed ninety seven ECP Model 350 Steel Pier^™ systems to recover lost elevations. The Model 350 ECP Steel Pier^™ System installed here used a 3-1/2 inch diameter tubular steel pier that was hydraulically driven to as deep as 54 feet below the footing to reach a geologic stratum that provided the suitable end bearing for supporting the structure.    

Each pier was advanced through the consolidating soil until the pier encountered firm load bearing.  Once reached, each ECP Steel Pier^™ was field load tested against this bearing stratum to a force greater what was required to support the structure.  Field load testing each pier after reaching end resistance verified that the bearing stratum was suitable for long term support.  This load testing also determined a factor of safety for each pier placement against future settlement.  In the case of this project, the field test loads were on average 155% percent above the working load requirements providing an average factor of safety over 2.5!  At each pier location a pier bracket was attached to the foundation.  Once all piers were installed to end bearing and the load capacity verified, the structural load was transferred from the failing soil under the structure to the verified bearing stratum deep below the surface.  This gentle and uniform load transfer was accomplished by banks of hydraulic jacks that were all connected through manifolds to electric hydraulic pumps.  One jack was installed on each pier bracket to accomplish the load transfer and recovery of lost elevation. 

There was minimal disturbance to the building’s occupants during the restoration process.  Because ECP Steel Piers^™ were installed using quiet, vibration free hydraulics, it was “business as usual” in the office during the underpinning installation

Segmented concrete piles also known as pressed concrete piles, have been used for many years around the country, especially in Texas. They were originally designed for foundation repair in Texas due to the expansive nature of the clay soils located in many parts of the state. People were looking for an alternative to poured in place concrete pilings, hence the precast concrete segments. This solution became very popular and migrated throughout Texas and other southern state regions due to fantastic marketing and cheap pricing. Just now has the other shoe fallen.

With unprecedented lawsuits and educated engineers, the trend is flowing away from these stacked concrete pilings for foundation repairs. Instead of the soils being blamed for continued movement of homes, people are now blaming foundation repair contractors that use this process for their never ending foundation problems. The engineering community has become aware of these issues, many engineers are now demanding that any foundation repair system to be installed shall be driven below the upper active regions of the soils down to a load bearing stratum that is not affected by fluctuating moisture levels. This issue can be easily seen in areas with expansive clay soils. As the hot summer sun dries the clay soils, the concrete press piles cannot penetrate past the active soil layers like steel push piers can.

With the realization of these factors steel pier systems have become the favorite for homeowners and engineers alike. Steel piers that incorporate a synchronized lifting system eliminate the problems that segmented concrete piers have had while also providing an accurate way to measure pressure, depth and force on the structure. These variables allow a trained installing contractor to precisely drive pier sections to a load bearing layer of soil then lift the structure in a uniformed and controlled manner under the supervision of an engineer.

The segmented concrete piles have always had some problems but many these issues have been ignored or circumvented with shortcuts. The general impression was it is not perfect but it is cheap! For homeowners that had to live through these shortcomings, answers like these have not been satisfactory. The number one issue with these cabled or stacked concrete piles is the method and the depth that they are driven.

First, a red flag should be raised anytime a car jack (bottle jack) is used to lift a structure. Car jacks are fine for cars or trailers but should never be used in foundation repairs. Their capacities are very limited along with the fact that there is no way of determining the pressure that they are exerting on the home. In the installation of pressed concrete piles, car jacks are used to drive the concrete cylinders into the soil. Car jacks have a very small saddle that contacts the footing hence placing a much localized force on the concrete foundation. Many times footings will crack or crumble due to this method of foundation repair.

Next, the flat bottom 6” diameter concrete cylinders are pushed against the soil causing shallow drive depths. Picture in your mind the amount of force required to press a concrete cylinder into your front yard. Now picture, in your mind, that you are using a 1” diameter metal shaft to accomplish this task. The 1” shaft is using your footing to press the cylinder through the soil, obviously not a good situation. Not only are the 6” cylinders not going to drive very deep but the duress that is being placed on the footing is unacceptable.

Every foundation repair contractor worth his weight in salt calculates the weight of the structure before prescribing a method of repair. This information is necessary for driving pier sections along with lifting structures when there is a means of controlling hydraulic flow and pressure. Without being able to control flow or pressure, as with car jacks, foundation repair becomes a guessing game. Proper depth and soil conditions cannot be met when the structures weight and strength are not calculated.

To overcome the problem of not reaching proper depth many of the pressed concrete piling contractors have devised methods to help the pile drive through the soil. One such method is placing a cone shaped piece on the bottom of the leading concrete cylinder. This is supposed to overcome the resistance of pressing a flat surface against the soil. Now you will have a pointed end on the first section decreasing the friction, you will also have a finished pile resting on a pointed end. Obviously when you place the full weight of the structure on this pile it can push the pile even deeper due to the shape of the cone. If the pile drives easier due to its shape it will also settle easier due to its shape.

Another method used to overcome shallow depths is to use high pressure water jetting to lubricate (soften) the soil below the concrete cylinder. A high pressure line is forced down the center of the concrete piles blasting water into the soil making the piles install easier. Common sense tells us that if your home was built on expanding clay soils and you are having foundation issues, the introduction of more water into these soils is not a good solution. Good for the contractor yes, good for your home – No!

One of the latest innovations in the segmented concrete pile industry is a spiraled concrete cylinder. The theory is that the spiral shape makes it easier for the pile to drive through the soil and “reach up to 20% deeper”. Deeper than what? Twenty percent deeper than five feet is on one additional foot. This is not going to make any difference if the active layer continues 10-15’ below the surface.

Once again picture in your mind a spiral shaped concrete cylinder, as the cylinder is driven in the ground it turns about 90 degrees per foot of depth. Imagine, if you will, that the spiral on the cylinder causes the soil to move away from the center of the pile creating a void around the concrete cylinder. This sweeping action forces the soils outward in an irregular shape. As more cylinders follow each other a soil void is formed around the pile creating a friction pile that does not have the benefit of soil around itself. Once again this is a fine marketing tool to make your concrete cylinder different from others, but is it causing more potential harm than good?

The lift, now things really get interesting. Once the piles are driven down a couple of feet into the soil, the soil has been pushed away from the pile, the pile is setting on a muddy mess with a pointed end. Now for their lift of your home,  a block of concrete is placed on top of the last concrete cylinder driven and then the now famous car jack is placed on top of the block and they start pumping the handle. After your home is over raised, yes over raised, two small cylinders are placed along side of the car jack and steel shims of various thickness are slid between the new cylinders and the footing. These thin steel shims are now what your home is resting upon. The car jack is then lowered and your home drops down onto a stack of thin steel shims.

Segmented concrete piles were once “King” in Texas, but now due to their shortcomings, homeowners throughout the country are demanding more from foundation repair professionals. As with most home improvement projects information is the key to quality work. Like many foundation engineers throughout the country you to have been educated on foundation repair methods. Remember, do not make your decision based on advertising and cheap prices, if it sounds too good to be true – it probably is.

For many people foundation repairs are a necessary evil when they are having settling or heaving problems with their home. Most are not up to speed on the technical aspects of structurally repairing their homes basement or foundation, so they look through the phone book or go online and look for a repair expert in their area. With little knowledge or research a foundation repair contractor is chosen based on price or convenience. This is where problems can start, the lack of knowledge is the enemy of quality workmanship.

Quality foundation repair contractors have years of experience and a host of quality products and employees at their disposal so that they can apply the best solution to your homes unique situation. The bad contractors base their business on price and convenience. They are able to install their pier systems very quickly and inexpensively because they are adapting your situation to their foundation repair solution and equipment. No thought is given to the real factors involved with structurally stabilizing a basement or foundation.

These real world factors include:

            Structural weight

            Structural elevations

            Structural strength of the current foundation

            Pier system capacities

            Synchronized lifting

            Soil properties

            Drainage and water runoff

One of the simplest methods to see if you are receiving a quality foundation repair is to inquire about the equipment to be used on your repair. Many low cost, fly-by-night contractors use simple bottle jacks (car jacks) is drive pier sections into the soil. They will then use these same car jacks in an attempt to stabilize your home. This should throw up a red flag to all homeowners. If the contractor will not spend money on quality, engineer approved equipment they most likely will not repair your home in a quality, engineer approved manner.

While a relatively simple manner to filter out poor installing contractors, it is a good rule of thumb to narrow down your choices. Simply put, bottle jacks are great for temporary support of cars, beams and trailers but when being used for foundation repairs they can cause damage to a homes foundation. Bottle jacks have no pressure gauge to regulate the pressure being applied to a foundation, only a crude mechanical means for adjustment. Bottle jacks have a very small head or saddle, which presses against your foundation when the mechanical pump is depressed. This greatly increases the stress on a foundation causing cracks and possible ruptures in the footing or wall. Increasing the square inches of contact area greatly reduces the applied force on the foundation. Most quality foundation pier systems accomplish this by using a steel bracket with a large surface area for the footing to rest on attached to a specifically designed hydraulic cylinder.

The lack of a pressure gauge is another deficiency of bottle jacks. With now means of measuring the force applied to the foundation there is no way of knowing if the foundation can sustain this force. Quality structural repair systems have a gauge and valve to measure and limit the hydraulic forces applied to your home. When lifting a structure, multiple heavy duty hydraulic cylinders and valve banks are used to complete a synchronized lift. This way the foundation is supported and lifted evenly, as not to apply unequal forces on a structure.

It should now be obvious why engineers and quality foundation repair contractors do not implement bottle jacks to repair your homes foundation. So when you start your research for a foundation repair contractor start with this one easy filter and narrow your choice from there.

We have all heard the old adage “It is only as strong as its foundation”. This particularly true with your home and the additions that you make to it. When adding a deck to your home, using helical anchors for its foundation gives you the security of a deep foundation with the ease of installing a helical soil screw. For years helical piles have been used in the new home construction and boardwalk industry due to their ease of use and material savings. This same technique is now being used in deck construction for many reasons including ease of installation, all weather installation and simply economics.

The old fashioned method of buying extra long and expensive deck posts and concrete is being replaced with simple steel helical foundations. Helical foundations are a steel shaft that has a helix shaped flight welded to its leading end that uses installation torque as an indication of capacity. These helical anchors come in many sizes, configurations and lengths. The anchor is turned into the soil via a hydraulic gear motor that is either attached to a small machine, such as a skid steer or even installed by specialized hand held equipment. The gear motor slowly turns the helix into the soil until it is significantly embedded past the upper active regions of soil. After installation a simple steel bracket is attached between the steel foundation and the deck posts.

Gone are the days when we need to excavate soils and fight the placement of deck posts. If a helical anchor is installed in the wrong place they can simply be reversed out of the soil and placed in the correct position without having to backfill the hole. Gone also is the need for concrete mixing and filling around posts. The helical piles install with minimal disturbance to the soil so backfilling and concrete is not required. And lastly, gone are the days of watching your buried deck posts rot away due to water and termites.

On your next deck project save on lumber, concrete and installation costs by using helical anchors as the preferred method of foundation building. You will now have the confidence that your new wood deck with last for many backyard barbeques and neighborhood gatherings for friends and family.

Basement wall cracks create basement water problems.

April showers bring May basement wall problems. Tax day has come and gone but the spring rains continue creating high water tables and hydrostatic pressure on our basement walls. This water exerts undesigned pressure on our basement walls causing cracks, bowed walls and structurally unsafe conditions. While the first step is always to manage the water, the second step is now our concern. This step is to restore the basement wall to a structurally sound state in a cost effective manner using engineered products designed for this situation and installed by foundation repair professionals.

Wall plate anchors are a viable solution for many block and poured concrete walls that are bowing or leaning inward. These wall plate anchors use the untouched, virgin soils in your yard to anchor your basement wall. This system has many advantages including:

• Minimal disturbance to your home and lawn
• Quickly installed
• All weather installation
• Cost effective
• Easily concealed (for basement finishing)

The use of wall anchors can be used many times instead of the costly alternative of removing and replacing foundation walls. The process is a relatively simple process for a quality foundation repair expert. The following is the steps that foundation repair expert follow when installing wall anchors.

• Estimate wall loads
• Match wall anchor to load
• Remove exterior sod at anchor placements
• Drill or dig exterior anchor hole
• Penetrate basement wall to allow anchor rod placement
• Drive anchor rod and connect to anchor plate
• Attached wall plate to anchor rod
• Backfill anchor plate hole
• Tension wall anchor assembly
• Document wall tension and original wall bow
• Cleanup and seal against potential water leaks

So if your home has bowing or leaning basement walls contact a foundation repair expert to help you solve your problems today.

Now you can install a pre-engineered foundation repair bracket for your next Micro Pile project that multiples your safety potentials.  Developed as a joint venture between leaders in their respective fields, Earth Contact Products and TEI Rock Drills have put their expertise together to design a system to make the installation of micropile brackets as efficient as other underpinning systems.  Together we have adapted a proven ECP-style underpinning bracket to attach to the TEI Hollow Bar Drilling Rig. How does this work? The new ECP Micropier brackets eccentrically transfers the load of the structure to the hollow bar grout column, while maintaining the ability of a continuous manifold lift. This key element in the design allows for engineers and contractors the convenience of a proven, off the shelf bracket system that can easily adapt to micropile applications.  This type of underpinning system can be used on residential and commercial jobs alike. No longer are you restrained from using a underpinning system due to cobbles or other obstructions in the soil.

The Earth Contact Products MP-350 Micropier Bracket System is easily installed into difficult soil conditions that can contain large cobbles, obstructions and layers of rock. The TEI / MP-250 Drill Rig that is used in conjunction with the ECP Micro Pier Bracket System is a lightweight and portable drilling unit and used worldwide in the pier installation industry. With its proven track record, you’ll find that the installation and drilling of the Micropile is fast and efficient.  With its grouted column, lateral loading in suspect soils is no longer a problem. The Micropile works on skin friction to achieve maximum capacity, also, the ability to achieve capacity through end bearing the pile into a socket in the bedrock makes the ECP Micropier a great application in many job site conditions. The Micropiers are an engineering feat in themselves.  The hollow bar micro pier installs simultaneously as the core hole is being drilled, the grout is pumped thru the hollow bar, filling the shaft and displacing the cuttings--ALL in a simultaneous operation! Thus, saving much time and labor costs.   

With this addition to the ECP product line, Earth Contact Products is offering contractors and engineers the ability to add value to their businesses by opening up new business opportunities when other underpinning systems may not be able to be installed.  Instead of bearing on shallow layers of bearing structum you now can be assured that your underpinning system has gone below these weak and unveried layers to support structures.

• Bracket is a pre-engineered and pre-tested product
• Capacity ratings of 75,000-99,000 lbs
• Quickly  Installs to the TEI Drill Rig MP-250
• Intregrated Manifold Lift Design
• Minimal Site Preparation
• Installs in Low Head Room Areas or Limited Access Areas
• System Handles Difficult Ground Conditions
• Easily Load Tested to Verify Capacity
• Designed to Transfer Load to the Full Length of the Pile
• Cost Effective due to ease of operation and design

Does your basement or slab foundation need repaired?

Understanding the reasons for foundation repairs is the first step to deciding which method is best for your home. It is crucial for homeowners to not only understand the reasons for foundation repairs but also the limitations of said repairs. Homeowners must also know who to contact for these repairs. There are many different methods and solutions that must be waded through before making the correct decision for your home and family.

Foundation repair is defined as: the art of underpinning or stabilizing a structure that has moved from its originally constructed design. To underpin a home or structure one must extend the current foundation into a soil strata or layer that is deeper and more stable than the current soil that the foundation is resting upon. This is accomplished by providing additional support from the current footing or wall via piers or anchors. Methods of foundation repairs include push piers, plate anchors, helical anchors or drilled concrete piles.

The people responsible for designing and instituting these methods include foundation engineers and foundation repair contractors. A foundation engineer is responsible to evaluate the structure in question and then provide a proposal for his design. Generally the engineer will recommend a foundation repair contractor to carry out his proposed plan for repair and then sign off on this plan upon the completion of fixing your foundation problem. While it is not always legally necessary for an engineer to be involved it is highly recommended anytime structural repairs are executed.

Inadequate soil conditions are caused by several factors. With suitable building sites becoming more scarce many home builders have been building houses on less than ideal lots. These subpar lots have less than suitable soil conditions to support many structures. There are also homes built on expansive soils that shrink and swell as rainfall and moisture levels change. Due to these conditions foundation support products must be utilized to supply support from deeper layers that are not as affected by fluctuating moisture levels. This underpinning provides a way to lift the home to an acceptable level and prevent additional settlement.

Slab on grade or pier and beam foundations are the most susceptible to weak or expanding soils. Due to the nature of having a large surface area resting on the uppermost soil layers these foundations have a tendency to move as the soil moves. Most slab on grade homes are monolithically poured with the slab and beams cast together creating a rigid foundation. This rigid foundation becomes susceptible to differential settlement when moisture levels under the slab do not remain consistent. This can result from broken water lines, poor drainage or even inadequate guttering. Trees can also affect soils by their roots drying out areas under these slabs while the rest of the slab has normal moisture content.

Differential settlement causes slab on grade foundations to rise on the perimeter (dish) or fall around the perimeter (dome). Steel push piers and helical piers are generally an engineer’s recommended solution for these conditions. These piers penetrate through unstable soils down to a more consistent soil layer that has adequate strength to support the structure. These piering systems provide a deep foundation that can now be lifted off of to regain an adequate elevation.

In the case of homes with basements, expansive clay soils that have been over saturated with water can cause hydrostatic pressure on walls. This newly imposed pressure can cause wall bowing and concrete cracking. In extreme cases, catastrophic failure can occur from these wall stresses. When basement homes are originally designed it is with normal moisture content. Poor drainage often causes undue pressure to build behind basement walls exerting forces on the basement foundation. This is often the source of concrete cracking and water to infiltrate the space. Once again it is generally the differential movement that causes the foundation repair problem.

There are two common fixes to bowing basement walls. Plate Anchors (wall anchors) are an effective solution for many homes. These wall anchors are imbedded into competent soils beyond a zone of influence surrounding the structure. Threaded rods are then connected to these anchors on one end with the opposite end being attached to a wall plate inside the basement. With this system total excavation is not required and because of this additional soil load, wall recovery is accomplished over time with continued tightening of the anchor rods.

Next, there are helical tiebacks. This system of basement or retaining wall anchoring involves the complete excavation of the affected area. Helical anchors are screwed into the soil hydraulically, and then attached with a wall plate situated inside the basement wall. With the full excavation the wall can be instantaneously pulled back to plumb. The helical anchor can resist very heavy loads due to their design and the fact of their installation force equates to their resisting force.