Why Is Foundation Settlement Important to Consider?
Are you a contractor tired of the supplies you currently use being costly and hard to install? Taking hours of your time and money from your pocket when you could be moving on to another client’s home already? Using GridLock Stabilizers’ products allows you the ability to work more efficiently due to a quicker installation process, and this product is cost-efficient as well as stronger than what is currently on the market.
Is the Home Built on Solid Ground?
Many factors impact a home’s overall condition at the time of sale, but many do not think much about the soil under it. Soil deficiencies around a home’s foundation can lead to numerous problems, including damage to the structural integrity. When soil compaction is poor, a home on a flat surface is at nearly as much risk as one on a slope. The type of soil, such as clay soil, matters, too. Without the proper type of footings, foundation settlement can occur quickly and may cause a number of problems, including foundation issues that put the entire home’s structural integrity on the line.
Weak soils can lead to foundation issues. For example, when there’s weak soil, that means more and more of the material supporting the home’s foundation is struggling to support the home. This is especially true for Hampton Roads homes that are subject to flooding due to land that is below sea level. Over time, there is simply not enough soil strength to support the weight of the home. Weak soils specifically can cause settlement cracks to form, allowing for the bearing capacity of that soil to fall. Eventually, this can lead to foundation walls cracking, damage to the foundation structure, uneven settling of the home, called differential settlement, and structural damage.
Why is Foundation Settlement Important?
If you see the signs of foundation settlement occurring, it is necessary to consider an aggressive method for repair to save the overall structure. Expansive soils, voids, and a lack of uniform settlement can cause the home to displace, doors to stick, and the roof to shift. All of this can lead to costly repairs or even a home that’s unsafe.
GridLock has the solutions to foundation settlement. Our modern methods use products designed to shore up any foundation repair needs homeowners need. When using our Foundation Stabilizers and Crawl Space Foundations, our methods are not only more modern, but provide a higher level of strength for long-term results. More so, the installation process is easy, allowing you, as a contractor, to fix the home’s foundation expertly and with great results.
Signs a Foundation Needs the Strength of GridLock
As a contractor, you know there are various types of foundation settlement and plenty of reasons for it. Some of the common signs may include:
- Foundation cracks: Over time, these cracks and crevices may worsen, indicating the settling foundation is also worsening. They can become wider and longer over time due to the shifting. Cracks that are wider at the top typically indicate uneven foundation settlement. That is, you cannot just fill them. There’s a need to stabilize the foundation further.
- Doors and windows stick: Sticking doors and windows is another common indication of foundation problems. This may be due to a moisture problem with the windows but commonly can occur as a side effect of differential settlement.
- Drywall cracks: Notable cracks in drywall are another common sign. These could be from excess moisture or poor taping, but other times it is due to the shift in the foundation instead. Nail pops are a clear sign of a bigger problem as it indicates that the drywall has shifted, forcing the nails out.
- Uneven floors: Sometimes, the floors may be uneven due to poor installation. Other times, it may be due to foundation issues.
Without foundation repair – if it is the source of the problem – each of these conditions will worsen over time. Understanding the causes of foundation settlement allows contractors like you to employ the proper treatment. The entire structure, whether it is a family home or a local business, could be at risk if the problems continue to occur.
Furthermore, differential foundation settlement exacerbates existing foundation issues. In these situations, the foundation shifts because of uneven settling. That is, the soil under the structure begins to shift, but not at an even rate. One side shifts more so than the others. The bearing soils loosen over time, perhaps due to erosion, water moving through the area, or just general expansion and contraction over many seasons. Sometimes, the settlement issues begin as a result of the home being built with poor soil compaction, causing the weight-bearing soils to shift under the total mass of the structure. This causes uneven foundation changes, leading to a leaning house. This, too, needs repair.
The problem is that you cannot start over and build on stable soil or adjust the structure’s weight. You cannot simply change the slab foundation or add in slab piers without high added cost. Instead, you need a solution that provides significant improvement. That comes in the form of GridLock’s solutions.
GridLock offers solutions that are reliable. They are the strongest and most efficient foundation repair solutions available today, that can answer the needs of homeowners reliably. As a contractor, you know that foundation repair like this is complicated and time-consuming. The longer it takes you to fix a home’s foundation, the greater the expense to your business in terms of added labor and in lost time on the next project. GridLock’s products change the game for contractors. Our Foundation Stabilizers and Crawl Space Foundations are:
- Faster to install
- Stronger than other products
- Requires fewer man-hours to install
- Shores up problems before they worsen
- Lasts a lifetime
Settling the Debate on Foundation Stabilizing
The big question in this industry is what is best. The solution typically relates to the cause, whether that’s consolidation, a lack of compaction, erosion, or other solutions. It is possible to determine the underlying cause of the problem and fix that. Yet, sometimes, that’s just not economical or efficient.
For example, some may utilize piering, including the use of push piers or helical piers. This method may help in many situations as it involves the use of metal or concrete posts that help to bolster the foundation. Push piers use galvanized or other steel pipes, while helical piers are more like large screws made of steel that drive deep into the ground. Piering is a good option when Foundation Stabilizers are not possible to be used, in situations like stabilizing brick chimneys.
Another foundation repair option is to use slab jacking or concrete lifting. This method may help if the home is on a concrete slab and involves drilling holes into the area, using a lifting solution, filling the voids with concrete, and then patching. Again, this method may work and tends to be go-to solutions with slabs.
GridLock offers a better solution for foundation soils of all types. When it comes to foundation settlement repair, GridLock works in all soil conditions. It can help with weak soil due to tree roots, stable soil that is washing away, as well as tipping settlement issues. Here’s why.
Our products include the best industrial-strength solution for support and stability. More so, they are field-tested and engineer-approved.
The GridLock engineered Crawl Space Foundations can hold up to 18,000 pounds. The GridLock Foundation Stabilizers support between 11,000 and 20,000 pounds. Both of our products come with a lifetime hardware guarantee for a permanent solution. This means that your clients can be confident that they do not have to repair their foundation again, and even if they sell the house later, it is still going to stand up to meet the needs of the next homeowners. This provides the best level of foundation settlement repair, and it will pass all foundation inspections needed.
Build Better and Faster With Us
As a contractor, using GridLock’s products makes sense even from a business standpoint. Our products are built for a lifetime. The Crawl Space Foundations are 500 pounds stronger than poured concrete foundations. The Foundation Stabilizers cover 260x more surface area than push piers.
Your technicians will be pleased with our products’ ease of use and durability. Furthermore, if you want to complete more jobs with the same number of employees, our products require fewer technicians to install. Overall, you will witness higher client satisfaction, greater safety of your employees, and increased productivity than with other foundation repair systems.
Keep Homes Locked in Place
Now is the perfect time to learn more about how GridLock can be an integral part of your foundation repair business. Contact us today to learn more about the products we offer and how they can be the ultimate solutions you provide to your clients.
