Here Are The Best And Most Effective Foundation Repair Methods (2023)

Foundation problems often show themselves in subtle ways at first. You may notice small cracks in the basement walls or water intrusion after heavy rainfall. Often, those minor issues are nothing more than annoyances and aren’t indications of a significant issue. However, just as often, they’re signs of bigger problems to come if not handled immediately. If you notice small signals like these, have a professional take a look to assess the situation.

If you start to find doors in your home that no longer open or close easily, windows that are difficult to operate, gaps developing in trim work or cracks in the drywall, immediate attention is necessary to diagnose and repair what could be a major foundation problem.

There are several ways to reestablish support for your home’s foundation. The best option depends on the soil composition beneath the house and the that needs repair.

Steel Piers

In most instances, installing steel piers under your home is the best long-term solution to stabilize the foundation—It’s also the most costly. For this repair, galvanized steel posts are driven deep into the ground below the foundation. The piers can go as deep as necessary to reach bedrock or soil that’s compact enough to provide enough support.

Steel piers can carry massive amounts of weight, work in almost any upper soil condition and are considered a permanent repair.

Helical Piers

Helical piers are another permanent foundation repair method made of galvanized steel. Essentially, they are steel posts that twist into the ground with a helically-shaped leading point that resembles a screw or auger and pull the pier deeper below the surface when turned by large machinery.

Helical piers are excellent for supporting the massive weight of a home and foundation without needing to reach bedrock. The devices are drilled into the ground until they reach heavy soil compact enough to support the load before being permanently attached to the house.

Concrete Piles

Concrete piles are simply blocks or cylinders of pre-cured concrete. They can be several inches long and wide or many feet thick and long. The piles are driven or placed below the foundation into compacted soil and may consist of one piece or several stacked on top of each other.

Concrete piles are a lower-cost alternative to steel piers. However, the soil beneath your home will determine if they’re an adequate remedy for your foundation.

Poured Concrete Piers

Poured concrete piers are another lower-cost foundation repair solution if the conditions are right under your home. The method consists of digging a large hole beneath the foundation, filling it with wet concrete and allowing it to cure before attaching it to the home.

Poured concrete piers are useful in many soil conditions and may resemble simple cylinders or be created with a bell shape at the bottom to provide increased support.

Sometimes your home may experience foundation problems that aren’t severe enough to warrant a heavy-duty repair but still need to be dealt with to avoid bigger issues.

Slab Jacking

If your home rests on a concrete slab that has become unlevel or that shows cracks from soil erosion, slab jacking may solve the problem. Slab jacking involves drilling holes in an existing slab and injecting a concrete slurry or dense polyurethane foam underneath the failing section.

Slab jacking is a common fix for sagging sidewalks, driveways and garage floors. If your home’s slab foundation rests on sufficiently compacted soil, slab jacking can offer a permanent solution to sagging.

However, slab jacking isn’t a heavy-duty repair method. A complete repair may involve more than one application as soil continues to erode or settle.

Shimming

New homes are sometimes built on ground that may not have been sufficiently compacted before their foundations were constructed. After the home is complete, that soil can shift or erode, resulting in gaps between the foundation and the rest of the home’s structure. The condition may or may not be indicative of more significant problems.

After an inspection of the situation, your foundation expert or structural engineer may decide that filling the gap with steel shims is adequate for reestablishing proper support. Shims can work as a permanent solution if the soil stops settling below the home. However, if gaps reappear, a more invasive repair likely needs to happen.

Sealing Cracks

Professionals typically seal foundation cracks after performing more significant repairs. Hydraulic cement, polyurethane foam or other sealants keep groundwater and rainfall from entering the basement or crawlspace.

Sealing cracks is often necessary before finishing a basement to keep the new walls dry. Hydraulic cement or specialized poly foam can sometimes provide enough support for foundations that don’t require more extensive repairs, but are typically only supplemental to other support methods.