Indianapolis, Helical Piers and Home Foundation Repair
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Helical piers in Indiana go by a lot of names such as piles, screw piles, and anchors. They are deep foundation solutions to help secure existing or new foundations. Because of their sleek design and the simplicity of its installation, they are most commonly used when soil conditions prevent the normal solutions to repair a foundation. Instead of needing large exaction work, they go deep into the ground. This really takes down the time of installation, it does not disturb the soil, and greatest of all it will transfer weight of the structure to the soil.
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What are helical piers used for?
These piers are mandatory for most residential applications and can be used when the project specifies caissons, mini piles, and driven piles. When a foundation is exposed to any kind of moisture or construction is cited on soil that is unstable, damage that has been done to the structure becomes more visible. To fix the foundations of the property and to be sure the building does not lose any value, they are to be used for the stabilization of the foundation. These anchors can also be effective to repair foundation when foundations fail. There are some signs that a homeowner can look for that will help them know if the use of helical piers will be needed. Helical piers installers in Indianapolis, IN have come up with a list of signs:
- Doors and windows are beginning to stick and become very hard to open
- Large gaps in door frames and the windows
- Cracking begins to be seen in the interior plaster walls
- Nail pops may begin to appear in the walls and ceilings
- Leaning of walls may occur, this can be a sign that something needs to be done immediately
- Floors begin to become uneven and settle
- Leaning chimneys that start to tilt
- Cracks form in the foundation and in the walls of the basement
What is the difference between helical piers and push piers?
When foundations begin to sink, settles or drops, it can cause havoc in the structure of the home. Walls have been known to shift out of plumb, brick and stonework crack, windows and doors stick and seepage openings appear in the basement areas. As unfortunate as all of this may sound, it is normally not a fatal prognosis of the house. A home with severely damaged foundations can be fixed just by raising it back to its original elevation and stabilizing it there. It is not an easy job, but it is not an uncommon one.
The basics of this particular kind of foundation repair is the same regardless of which method, place supporting structures in the ground underneath the main structure, employ a means of elevating the home to a level land attach the foundation to the necessary supports. The supporting structures that assist the structure are known as piers, which are generally made of steel or concrete. When it comes to piers there are two main types – push piers and helical piers. A push pier is a steel tubing that is pushed underneath the soil below the foundation that is struggling with a hydraulic ram unit; it reaches a stratum. This process uses the house as a counterweight to make certain it penetrates the full depth.
The installation process of a push pier starts with the excavation of a spot alongside a foundation and attaching a steel bracket to the structure. When all of the piers have been driven to the right depth, a pump attached to each one of the piers is used to elevate the home back to its original level. The columns are secured to the brackets and the excavations are back-filled. On the other hand, a helical pier looks like a very large screw. It has a very long shaft with a lot of spiral plates called helices that are welded to it. The pier is driven deep into the soil by a big rotating bit until a test to determine the torque has been completed. It is solidly engaging enough to give the support it needs. Both of these piers come with their disadvantages and they both have their shortcomings. An example of this is that they are both supported by the same soil that might have been a part of the reason the foundation was damaged in the first place. Helical piers are also far more likely to buckle under large amounts of weight. They do work the best with lighter structures and the installation process if far easier and simpler. The installing a helical pier can be done by hand.
The basics of this particular kind of foundation repair is the same regardless of which method, place supporting structures in the ground underneath the main structure, employ a means of elevating the home to a level land attach the foundation to the necessary supports. The supporting structures that assist the structure are known as piers, which are generally made of steel or concrete. When it comes to piers there are two main types – push piers and helical piers. A push pier is a steel tubing that is pushed underneath the soil below the foundation that is struggling with a hydraulic ram unit; it reaches a stratum. This process uses the house as a counterweight to make certain it penetrates the full depth.
The installation process of a push pier starts with the excavation of a spot alongside a foundation and attaching a steel bracket to the structure. When all of the piers have been driven to the right depth, a pump attached to each one of the piers is used to elevate the home back to its original level. The columns are secured to the brackets and the excavations are back-filled. On the other hand, a helical pier looks like a very large screw. It has a very long shaft with a lot of spiral plates called helices that are welded to it. The pier is driven deep into the soil by a big rotating bit until a test to determine the torque has been completed. It is solidly engaging enough to give the support it needs. Both of these piers come with their disadvantages and they both have their shortcomings. An example of this is that they are both supported by the same soil that might have been a part of the reason the foundation was damaged in the first place. Helical piers are also far more likely to buckle under large amounts of weight. They do work the best with lighter structures and the installation process if far easier and simpler. The installing a helical pier can be done by hand.
How long do helical piers last?
How long do helical piers last? Helical pier installers in Indianapolis, IN have come to the conclusion that there are many various factors that determine the life expectancy of helical piers. Helical piers can be galvanized to prevent any rusting from happening, the varying soil condition can play a large role in the life expectancy, the general estimation is that piers can last over 150 years in the average soil conditions.
Some advantages that come with the use of helical piers rather than using any other method. Piers are far superior to other methods ins several ways. Drilled and hand-dug piers can do a decent job. However, they take large amounts of time to install, they are very expensive and messy as well. Driven piles can prove to be very effective, although limited access of the existing buildings make it the use very complicated for the installer. Helical piers are not very expensive, they require almost no concrete whatsoever, and the they can be installed in limited access situations, not to mention that it is pretty much vibration free. Another large benefit that comes with the choice of helical piers is depending on the job some of these piers can hold up to 1,000,000 pounds. You could see similar loads on a building reaching up to ten stories.
Some advantages that come with the use of helical piers rather than using any other method. Piers are far superior to other methods ins several ways. Drilled and hand-dug piers can do a decent job. However, they take large amounts of time to install, they are very expensive and messy as well. Driven piles can prove to be very effective, although limited access of the existing buildings make it the use very complicated for the installer. Helical piers are not very expensive, they require almost no concrete whatsoever, and the they can be installed in limited access situations, not to mention that it is pretty much vibration free. Another large benefit that comes with the choice of helical piers is depending on the job some of these piers can hold up to 1,000,000 pounds. You could see similar loads on a building reaching up to ten stories.