Differential settlement is the real enemy

A few things need to be understood about settlement. First, all houses settle. The amount may be so small as to be undetectable or may be so uniform as to leave no signs, but it unquestionably happens. Second, because of the natural and construction-related variations in soil properties, not every point on a foundation settles the same amount.

                              Interior Cracks                       Exterior Cracks

To avoid continued racking door frames and cracking walls, you must stabilize differential settlement, the difference in settlement between various points on the foundation. The distinction between total and differential settlement is important. The Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, for instance, has settled several feet without significant distress to the structure and remains in service because the settlement has been uniform. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, on the other hand, is useless for anything but the Kodak moments of tourists.

After the pier is installed, the hole is covered.  The pier is not exposed.

Foundation stabilization can only be achieved through underpinning.  Underpinning is the process of modifying an existing foundation system by extending it to, or into subsurface strata that is deeper and more stable than the near surface soil that supports the existing foundation system.  Underpinning extends the foundation support to depths that provide greater bearing capacity and/or are less affected by climate and soil conditions.

If underpinning is properly designed and installed it will provide the basis for lifting the structure to a more acceptable elevation and provides vertical support to prevent the underpinned areas from future settling.

Ram Jack of South Carolina will professionally evaluate your home to determine what settlement issues you may have.  Our technicians are trained and certified through the Ram Jack training program.  The evaluation process involves investigating the entire structure, not just the areas of visible settlement.  Once the settlement has been accurately diagnosed, a service plan with a diagram of your home including the location of the necessary piers to stabilize the foundation, will be provided to you at the end of the evaluation.

For a professional evaluation of your home, contact our office at 866-735-3085 to schedule an appointment, or email us at ramjacksc@aol.com.