Category: Concrete Contractor

Foundation Repair – Why It’s Important to Repair Your Foundation Before It’s Too Late

Steven Key

Whether it’s your own house or you’re considering selling, significant foundation cracks can be a deterrent to potential buyers. Taking the time to understand the process and your options is the best way to prepare.

Foundation Repair

It’s important to choose a contractor who specializes in foundation repair. This is because they have the expertise, equipment, and training needed to perform the job correctly.

Many people get nervous when they notice cracks in their foundation. While some cracks are non-structural and don’t pose an immediate threat to a home’s structural integrity, they still need to be treated as quickly as possible to prevent water leaks and mold growth. For non-structural cracks, you can use a caulk and latex mixture or hydraulic cement to seal the crack. Once the crack is repaired, it’s important to monitor it for new problems and signs of further damage.

Other types of cracks indicate a more serious problem and may require professional repair. Horizontal cracks in a foundation wall usually indicate hydrostatic pressure from water and soil pressing against the foundation walls. This type of crack can be very dangerous, especially if it’s accompanied by bowing or leaning walls. If you notice horizontal cracks, contact a foundation contractor right away.

Vertical or jagged diagonal cracks in a foundation wall are also a sign of significant foundation settlement and are not normal. Depending on the cause, these cracks could be a result of poor construction techniques during new construction, or they may be caused by a shift in the soil underneath the foundation that puts stress on the foundation. In many cases, these cracks need to be corrected with epoxy injections or carbon fiber reinforcement.

Gaps in a concrete foundation are another common problem and should never be ignored. They can be caused by natural settling or shrinkage of the concrete, but they’re typically not a problem unless they’re very wide or allow groundwater or rainwater to enter the basement or crawl space. When cracks or gaps widen, they’re often caused by differential foundation settlement and need to be fixed with carbon fiber reinforcement or epoxy injection, or piers can be used in severe cases.

When a foundation repair job is done correctly, all of the above signs should be improved or eliminated. The cracks should be closed, doors should work properly again, and gaps or leaks should be repaired. If you’re concerned about your foundation repairs, it’s best to contact the company that performed the work and ask them about their warranty or guarantee.

Water Invasion

Rain and water damage are an inevitable part of life for a foundation, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept the results. If the signs of rain damage are spotted early enough, the problems can often be corrected before they escalate.

The best way to prevent the damaging effects of water intrusion into a foundation is to ensure that proper drainage is in place and that any leaks are repaired immediately. This will help reduce the amount of water that seeps into and around the foundation, and it will also help to keep soil moisture in control.

Water damage to a foundation is often caused by something called hydrostatic pressure. This is simply the force of water pushing against concrete, and it can cause cracking and bowing walls. The amount of pressure will vary based on the season, as rainy seasons or spring thaws can increase the amount of water that comes into contact with a home’s foundation.

It is important to regularly inspect the exterior and interior of a home for any signs of foundation problems, including horizontal cracks that develop from soil expansion. If the cracks in a foundation are not addressed, they can continue to widen and eventually undermine the entire structure of a building.

Crawl spaces and basements are particularly vulnerable to water infiltration, since they tend to be dark, damp areas that attract insects. Unwanted creepy crawlies like termites and mold will love these sheltered environments, and they can easily chew through the wooden components that make up the home’s support system.

In order to prevent these issues, it is important to regularly inspect the exterior and interior for any signs of moisture or pests. If you do notice a musty smell or any cracks in your foundation, it is a good idea to schedule a consultation with a professional to take a closer look at the situation. They can provide advice on the best steps to address the problem and repair any damage. By following this advice, you can save yourself a lot of time and money by taking preventive action rather than waiting until the last minute to call a contractor for foundation repair.

Leaking Pipes or Drainage Systems

When a foundation shifts, it can pull or “shake” drain and sewer lines apart. Over time, these pipes can leak waste and water into the soil. In turn, this can cause the soil to swell and create gaps in the foundation itself. This is why it’s so important to get any leaking or broken pipes repaired as soon as you notice them.

Wet spots or stains on walls, floors, or ceilings are often the first sign of a foundation leak. Leaks can also appear as puddles in the yard or near a home’s foundation. Wet spots can be caused by a variety of issues, including plumbing leaks or flooding from rain or groundwater.

A musty or damp odor is also a sign of a foundation leak, and mold and mildew can quickly grow in areas that are exposed to water. Over time, a leaking foundation can damage support beams, which can lead to uneven or sagging floors inside the home.

If your foundation repairs involve the plumbing system, a plumbing test should be performed afterward to ensure that all leaks are fixed. This is especially important if the plumbing is located close to areas where the foundation lifts or supports the structure.

Plumbing tests can also reveal whether or not the foundation repair has affected the drainage system. For example, a faulty gutter or downspout can lead to the drainage system leaking underneath the foundation of a home, which can saturate the soil and cause a leaky foundation.

A faulty or overflowing septic tank can also cause drainage problems, which are common causes of foundation leaks. If you suspect a septic problem, contact us right away to discuss your options. We can install an interior breakout for repair, which involves taking a portion of the home’s plumbing system out through the foundation and rerouting it to allow for better drainage.

Structural Issues

Foundation issues that go unrepaired will lead to other problems throughout the house. This includes misaligned doors and windows, uneven floors, and even plumbing issues. This is especially true of pier and beam foundations that have pipes weaved through them. As the foundation shifts, these pipes can snap and cause flooding or water damage in other areas of the house.

The key is to catch these issues as soon as possible, and repair them before they cause other structural damage or other safety hazards. If you’re thinking about buying a home with foundation issues, it can be helpful to have a professional perform a thorough inspection before closing the deal. This will help you know whether the problem is worth pursuing or not.

During the inspection, you’ll want to look for signs of structural movement, such as cracks in walls and columns or concrete that is out of level. You may also notice bowed or bulging basement walls, sagging crawl space floors, and seepage in the basement. You’ll probably also see misaligned doors and windows in the upstairs of the house above the affected area.

If the cracks or other issues don’t seem serious, they may be a sign that the home’s foundation can be saved by underpinning and other methods. However, it’s best to have a structural engineer determine the extent of the problem to be certain.

Minor foundation issues may not be worth repairing, but this decision should be made with the assistance of a home inspector and a structural engineer. If the home’s foundation is sinking or has other significant movement, it will require underpinning and other extensive repairs to restore it to its original condition.

If the house’s foundation isn’t salvageable, you may need to walk away from the purchase. This is particularly true if the problem has caused other major damage, such as a sagging roof, severe water leaks, or mold and pest infestation. It’s also a good idea to walk away if the seller won’t agree to pay for the required repairs. Even if you have the funds for the repairs, it may be better to find a new house that meets your needs.

The Basics of Asphalt Paving

Wyatt Morrison

Asphalt Paving Charleston SC is a popular choice for paving projects because it’s safer and more economical than other materials. It’s also easy to recycle, promoting environmental sustainability.

The process of laying asphalt pavement involves several steps. First, contractors slope the site to create a solid base. Next, they put down a thick layer of load-bearing aggregates. Then they add a binder course of bitumen and additives to hold the aggregates together.

The subgrade acts both as a platform for construction equipment and as the foundation of the asphalt pavement structure. Consequently, proper subgrade preparation is essential to the success of the project. Subgrade soils should be capable of supporting traffic loads without excessive deformation and graded to a specified elevation and slope.

A poor or unstable subgrade will fail under dynamic wheel loading, causing rutting and ultimately pavement failure. The most common causes of poor subgrade are expansive soils, moisture and lack of compaction. Expansive soils contain clay minerals that absorb water, resulting in an increase in volume, or “heaving”. This swelling creates pore pressures that can exceed surcharge pressures (such as the weight of the pavement).

To prevent this phenomenon from occurring, expansive soils should be stabilized by adding a cementitious material such as lime, portland cement or emulsified asphalt. Alternatively, a marginally poor subgrade soil can be made acceptable by adding additional base layers to spread pavement loads. However, this approach has several disadvantages, including increased cost, deterioration of the base layer and subgrade, and reduced pavement life due to overloading of the base.

In some cases, HMA surface courses can be placed over poor subgrades if the design thicknesses are sufficiently large and the base layer is designed with a high enough strength to support the traffic load. However, this is a risky approach and the pavement life will likely be short.

In most cases, the primary application for asphalt pavements is for walkways such as sidewalks, bicycle and golf cart paths, and fire lanes. These are usually designed to withstand light traffic and occasional heavy-load applications such as maintenance or emergency vehicles.

Mix Design

Mix design is the process of determining what aggregates to use and what the optimum asphalt binder (asphalt cement) should be. The result of a good mix design is a recommended mixture, commonly referred to as a job material formula (JMF) or recipe, for the paving contractor to produce. Typically, the JMF will include aggregate gradation and asphalt binder type along with performance testing for rutting, fatigue cracking and moisture damage.

The first step in the mix design process is to select a gradation for the aggregates. This is usually done using a laboratory test called the PG (performance grading) system. Several different grades of aggregates are tested under various conditions to determine the one that best meets project requirements for rutting, fatigue and cold weather resistance. Depending on the expected climate conditions and pavement temperatures, this grading is then used to establish a blending target for the HMA.

Once the gradation of the aggregates is determined, the laboratory creates a number of trial mixes with different asphalt binder content levels. These mixes are compacted into molded specimens and then tested for their desired characteristics. Mixes that pass all of the required tests are then selected for production.

The mix design process is becoming increasingly based on performance testing. The objective is to produce quality HMA that will provide long-lasting service in the field. Many highway agencies, engineers and contractors have realized that traditional prescriptive methods of combining ingredients in prescribed volumes is not producing HMA that will resist damage from traffic loads and other forces. A new approach to mixing HMA is balanced mix design (BMD). This method uses performance tests that evaluate the suitability of the mixture for a specific application.

Laying

The base layer of asphalt is a vital part of the pavement that enhances its load-bearing capacity. It consists of a mix that has been crafted from different aggregate sizes. This mix is usually prepared at an asphalt plant to ensure consistency and quality. Depending on the intended use of the pavement, the mix design may vary to accommodate the expected amount of traffic and environmental conditions.

Ideally, the sub-base must be able to stand up to the weight of cars and trucks while also being resilient against erosion, weather, and other factors that can affect its structural integrity. It is important to check the drainage of the area and install proper slopes to prevent water accumulation and rutting.

Once the sub-base is ready, the paving crew can start working on the actual laying of the asphalt. This process requires specialized paving equipment known as an asphalt paver. This machine is designed to deliver the asphalt mix evenly over the surface and compact it for a firm, durable, and smooth finish.

When constructing an asphalt pavement, the crew must follow strict guidelines. Failure to do so can result in numerous problems such as poor drainage, rutting, and cracking over time. The best way to avoid these issues is by prioritizing meticulous compaction, prudent mix selection, thorough base preparation, and careful construction.

Once the paving is done, it’s crucial to allow the surface to fully harden before using it. This can take 30 days or more, so it’s important to be patient and exercise caution while the asphalt is hardening. Proper maintenance will also help extend the life of your asphalt driveway, parking lot, or road.

Compaction

When it comes to asphalt, compaction is a critical factor for achieving the best possible results. That’s because the quality of a finished asphalt pavement directly correlates to the density, or air-void content, of the mix.

The goal of compaction is to get all the air out of the mixture and essentially make it dense or tight, so that the particles knit together better, improving stability and resistance to rutting. Compaction can also help improve fatigue life and durability of the finished pavement.

It’s important to understand that compaction is a dynamic process that can be influenced by multiple factors on the job site. For example, the air temperature plays an important role in how fast a lift of HMA cools and therefore limits the time available to compact it.

Another key variable is the base temperature of the road on which you’re paving. Increasing the temperature of the base helps to give the mix more time to be compacted. And finally, wind velocity has a significant impact on the speed at which the lift of asphalt cools and the time available for compaction.

In addition, the type of roller used to compact the material has a big impact on the outcome of the compaction. The breakdown roller, which works immediately behind the paver, is responsible for developing the bulk of the HMA’s final target density and needs to match the production and speed of the paver. This roller is usually a vibratory steel wheel or pneumatic tire roller. The intermediate roller, which follows the breakdown roller, is responsible for finishing and typically uses a vibration frequency of 60 to 90 hertz. These frequencies are often used to achieve higher levels of compaction and provide the best finish for the asphalt pavement.

Finishing

Once the sub base layer is in place and any soft areas have been repaired, it is time for the binder course to be added. The binder layer is large aggregate mixed with oil to create a strong, sturdy asphalt surface. It is installed directly over the runner-crush stone base and is considered to be the “weight-bearing” course of asphalt. This layer is much thicker than the top course and will provide an additional structural benefit to the paved surface.

After the binder course has been rolled and compacted, the final asphalt layer is placed. It is composed of small aggregate, sand and oil to produce the smooth, jet-black surface we’re all used to seeing on roadways, parking lots, and driveways. The surface asphalt is then rolled and compacted once again to achieve proper compaction.

It is important to note that a well-made asphalt pavement requires constant monitoring. Load and usage, as well as weather conditions, all impact how long an asphalt surface will last. Regular inspections can help extend the life of a paved surface and prevent costly repairs.

It is also important to choose a contractor that has the experience and equipment to do a quality job. Ask for referrals from friends and neighbors and do your homework. Study the contract and ensure that everything you want to be done is spelled out in detail. Be wary of contractors that have extra asphalt they’d like to put down at a discounted price. This is an indicator of poor workmanship and materials. Finding a contractor who is experienced and has the right equipment will result in a long-lasting, high quality paved surface. Using the right tools for each step of the process is critical to asphalt longevity.