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A home’s foundation underpins the entire structure and stabilizes your entire house. That’s why you need to check on it regularly to make sure everything is in its right place.
More often than not, homes have foundation issues that need repair. However, because your home’s foundation might be sprawling and the issue harder to pinpoint, it’s going to be difficult for most homeowners to understand what to do when they see a problem.
Luckily, Bay City residents can rely on Bluebird Foundation Repair & Waterproofing to handle their foundation issues for them. Let’s go over what foundation repair entails and why it’s so important to your home.
Signs of Damaged Foundation
Your home’s foundation ranges from your walls, your floors, pillars, to even your chimney. Because it’s a wide-ranging term, there’s an even bigger list of foundation damage that you need to be aware of.
Here are the most common ones:
- Cracks in Floor – Cracks can happen on any floor regardless of its material. Whether you have ceramic tiles or concrete slabs, cracks will only worsen with time if not addressed.
- Cracks in Drywall – While these are hard to spot at first, drywall cracks will get worse and worse if you don’t take the time to address them quickly. Drywall cracks cause the foundation to shift and the walls to move.
- Cracks in Brickwork – Cracked brickwork is a contributor to drywall damage. As soon as you spot cracks in your brick structures, it’s time to call someone to address it.
- Cracks in Corners – Vinyl and other material sidings can cause your foundation to shift. You’ll start to see widening gaps between pieces of siding, causing cracks.
- Leaning Chimney – A leaning chimney is a surefire sign that your foundation needs a little work. If you spot it leaning away from your home, call a professional right away.
Why Should I Repair My Foundation?
While we don’t want to be hyperbolic, failing to address foundational issues will cause a lot of damage to your home. If your floors and walls start collapsing, your rooms and basements will eventually cave in.
Even if you think a foundation problem is minor, it’ll only get worse over time. The longer you wait off, the more expensive the fix will become.
You’ll also compromise the property value of your home if you fail to address foundation issues. When prospective buyers see that you have foundation issues, they’ll be less likely to purchase your home.
What Bluebird Offers
Interested in fixing up your foundation? Bluebird has you covered.
Our products are engineered, tested, and installed in residential homes in Bay City and beyond. For us, that means our products have been battle-tested to work in a variety of environments similar to ones you have likely witnessed yourself.
Our foundation repair services include helical piering systems to address lightweight structures. We also have deep-driven steel piercing systems that use heavy-duty piles and piers for heavy structures.
We even leverage carbon fiber to add extra support to damaged walls and beams. If you’ve got failing slabs, we’ve got slab brackets to uphold your concrete foundation.
Call Bluebird Today
If you’re a Bay City resident and you’d like to have your foundation checked and remedies, call Bluebird Foundation Repair & Waterproofing, and we’ll provide the right solution for you today. Outside of foundation repair, we also offer basement waterproofing, crawlspace waterproofing and seawall repair throughout Bay City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Repairing problems or damages to a building’s foundation is called foundation repair. It involves repairing cracks, strengthening structural components, stabilizing a foundation, or dealing with soil-related problems that might jeopardize the stability and integrity of the building. Some foundation repair techniques are wall tiebacks, carbon fiber, slab brackets, helical piering, and deep-driven steel piering systems. These techniques aim to restore your home’s foundation to its original state and offer long-term solutions to foundation issues.
Here’s how you can repair a foundation crack–
- Use a two-part epoxy sealant to fix a crack (i.e., 1/16-inch-wide x 8-in-deep x 8-ft.-long).
- Dry the crack and scrub it to remove dust and debris.
- Insert nails (12 inches. apart) into the crack, and put the injection ports.
- Mix 2 equal portions of epoxy crack sealer until it’s gray.
- Apply some sealer on the base of the plastic injection ports.
- Use a 1 ½ inch wide putty knife to cover the entire crack with epoxy.
- Spread the sealant 1 inch on either side of the crack and about 1/8 inch thick.
- Check if the crack extends, fill it with sealant, and leave it to set for 6 to 10 hrs.
- Put the cartridge tip into the oozing port, squeeze it, and release the epoxy.
- Give LCR epoxy to set for 5 days.
The average price for foundation repair in Bay City is $2,000 and $7,500 (per project). Repairing small cracks costs $250–$800 (per project). But, repairing a severely damaged foundation can cost between $15,000–$25,000 (per project). Moreover, many factors change the repair cost, like the foundation’s size (sq. ft.), the damage’s extent, local labor costs, and the repair technique used.
To repair cracks in concrete foundation walls, use the following ways–
- Identify the cracks and see if it’s ¼ inch wide or less.
- For cracks less than ¼ inch wide, put crack injection filler 1-2 inches on either side.
- Then wait for 12 hrs for the paste to harden.
- Replace your caulking gun with a tube of polyurethane injection solution.
- Start injecting on the top vertical cracks and left horizontally into the crack.
- Let the polyurethane harden and expand inside the crack for 12 hours.
- Use a grinder with an abrasive cup wheel to remove the dried surface prep paste.
- Evenly distribute the epoxy beads with a paint roller (over the 10-inch) of the cracks.
First, dig a steel push pier below the foundation to load-bearing soil. Push the piers one section at a time. Once you’ve finished pushing the steep pier, use a hydraulic jack to lift your house or property to the maximum level (as needed). It’s best to use 20-ton or 40-ton hydraulic jacks to lift your home. However, do not try to jack up your house above its maximum limit because it will damage your house structurally!
Uneven or sloping floors, cracks in walls or ceilings, stuck doors or windows, spaces between walls and the floor or ceiling, and noticeable foundation cracks all indicate foundation issues. In addition, doors and windows might become challenging to open or close, and the basement or crawl space might show evidence of moisture or water intrusion.
Yes, trees can contribute to uneven floors if a tree’s roots extend below the foundation and cause soil movement or uneven settlement. Trees have extensive roots that run from 6 meters to 9 meters. These roots draw moisture from the soil, ultimately causing the foundation to shrink and move unevenly.
Here are some indicators that your home’s uneven floors may be pointing to a foundation issue:
- Concrete slabs that are sinking or heaving.
- A floor that slopes downward toward the home’s center.
- If interior doors are stuck.
- Fissures on the floor.
- Your crawl space has mold and rot.
Flooding in Bay City damages your foundation in a lot of ways. Damages can happen because of the force of fast-moving water or water seeping in that widens the foundation cracks. Continuous flooding or high-pressure water blasting against or underneath your house can cause the foundation to shift. When flood waters and debris press against your house, they can weaken the structure or even separate your walls from the foundation.
Some issues with a post and beam foundation are wood rot, deterioration of the support posts or beams, improper footing installation or placement, settling or shifting of the foundation’s elements, and insect or pest damage. In contrast, they last for a long time (i.e., more than 10 years), are quick to build, and are less costly. The post and beam foundation also gives an accessible entrance below the house and allows for an easier floor plan.
