Differences Between Push Piers and Helical Piers
You found some clues that your home has foundation issues. You found some cracks in your walls, windows, or doors sticking, or found flooding. Now what? There are many options you have to fix your foundation, but what is the best option for you and your home? Common methods are push and helical piers. We will talk about the pros and cons of both, and hopefully, by the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of which option is best for you and your home.
Helical Piers
Helical piers are steel pipes that look like big screws. These piers are mechanically screwed deep into the layers of earth surrounding a house. Once it is installed and fitted the weight of the house will be transferred to the screws. With these screws, there will be minimal excavation around the foundation, and they can be installed inside or outside of the home. The screws can easily be moved to a different part of the house if need be. This option makes these screws very cost-effective.
The main drawback with helical piers is that using this method depends on the soil around the home. Think of trying to hang something on a wall, you will need to find a stud on the wall to ensure that it is properly secured. Helical piers are the same idea. Dense soil is similar to a stud or anchor. Without solid soil near, more screws will need to be installed which can affect the price of the repair.
Push Piers
While helical piers are like screws, push piers are more like nails. They are pushed into the ground for support. They are then anchored to the structure with pier brackets. Push piers are a good option for some foundation repair jobs. Most notably, these piers can be installed in tight spaces. Push piers are great when repairing a heavy building’s foundation. The heavier structure works well with this system because the piers are pushed into the ground using the building’s weight
The biggest downside of push piers is their weight requirement. Push piers are not ideal for lighter loads. If the weight is lighter, like a small 1-story home or a garage, it will not provide enough resistance to push the pier to capacity. They also cannot be removed or relocated once installed.
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