If the foundation on which your home sits isn’t constructed properly or develops problems over time, you’re looking at a serious problem that can cost thousands of dollars to repair and, in a worst-case scenario, make your house uninhabitable. Cracked interior or exterior walls, sagging or sticking doors and doorjambs and floors that aren’t level are just the first signs that your foundation may be sinking or rising. You’ll need to take action sooner rather than later to ensure that more serious problems don’t develop.
There are several reasons you might begin to see problems arise in the foundation of your house. The dwelling might have been constructed with components out of plumb or alignment, leading to compounded issues as the structure was built. The soil on which the house was built could be shifting or eroding and water could be exacerbating the problem. The age of your house can also play a role in the problems occurring in the foundation. No matter what the reason for the problems, foundation weaknesses get worse over time.
If you live in or near Pittsburgh, you can work with a company that specializes in foundation repair solutions. There are several options a Foundation Repair firm can pursue to make sure your home will remain safe and structurally secure for many years. A helical pier foundation system, for example, will shore up a threatened home by attaching piers sunk into stable subsoil to the foundation, transferring the weight of the foundation to the pier structure. Steel resistance piers, which are driven into the soil, help stabilize a shifting foundation that is sitting on soil that doesn’t support the foundation properly.
Some homeowners think that they can handle foundation repair problems themselves. While minor cracks can be easily filled with epoxy, most small cracks are just the first signs of much more serious problems that are likely to arise soon. If you’re a homeowner in or around the Pittsburgh area, it’s a good idea to work with a firm that offers Structural Engineering in Washington, PA. An experienced engineering firm can help you find the solution to your foundation problems that will save you time and money while protecting the most important financial asset you own.
