Foundation Repair & Techniques Blog

At Foundation Repair Services, our technicians are busy throughout the year, but we receive a disproportionate number of foundation repair requests during the summer months. There are several reasons for this:

• Property owners have more leisure time to focus on major home improvements.
• There is less precipitation during the summer, allowing us to work uninterrupted.

Soil erosion happens whenever the elements slowly wear away the topsoil and cause the underlying earth to become exposed. However, this naturally occurring process can worsen in areas hit by deforestation or agricultural overproduction. By removing crops and trees, land developers also remove the root systems that hold topsoil in place. During heavy rains or windy periods, exposed soil loosens and quickly erodes.

Many homeowners assume using high-quality supplies during the early building stages of a home guarantees a solid foundation. That is only partially true.

While the type of equipment used certainly helps keep the foundation strong, it isn’t the only factor that determines the structural integrity of a home’s foundation. In fact, there is a bigger influencing factor: the soil the home is built upon.

Foundation failure is always a serious matter.

Left unattended, minor problems below often manifest as major problems above.

A soldier pile is a common retaining wall strategy in which H-shaped steel beams (“piles”) are drilled deep into the earth at regular intervals — usually 2 to 4 yards apart. In between each vertical pile, horizontal supports fill the gap, helping to spread the load. Known as “lagging walls,” these horizontal supports are most often made from precast concrete panels, steel girders or pressure-treated timber.

Retaining walls are structural barriers that prevent soil from shifting between two separate elevations. Depending on the size of the project and the slope of the surrounding area, any number of technologies can be used. However, soldier pile and lagging retaining walls are some of the easiest to erect (click here to learn why). Because of their cost-effectiveness, they’re the solution of choice for excavations and other temporary projects.

Concrete is one of the most durable substances on the planet. Inexpensive and highly customizable, it is the construction material of choice for everything from foundations and basement walls to garage floors and driveways.

Yet, concrete repair is an inevitable part of home ownership. Over a long enough time period, you will eventually have to resurface, grind, or replace some portion of concrete somewhere on your property.

Why is that?

In its most basic form, a retaining wall is a supportive barrier designed to block water or prevent soil from shifting. They are most often used on properties with steep gradients — or in areas prone to landslides and flooding.

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to overlook obvious signs of wear and tear. Some actually appreciate the rustic look and feel of older properties. Leaning chimneys, for example, are often interpreted as evidence of a well-used and well-loved fireplace.

Erosion happens whenever soil and rocks become displaced — usually as a result of water, wind or geological shifts. The process happens naturally, and soil erosion is largely responsible for the unique contours of the planet.