Foundation issues are a significant concern in San Antonio, Texas, largely due to the region’s expansive clay soils and unstable soil conditions. These challenging soil types can cause substantial structural damage, leading to foundation settlement, cracked walls, uneven floor elevations, and sloped or sagging floors. As homeowners seek practical solutions to restore structural integrity, helical piers have emerged as an increasingly popular choice for foundation repair.
Helical piers, also known as helical piles, provide a robust and reliable method to stabilize foundations and prevent further damage. Their versatility in diverse soil conditions and ability to reach stable soil layers make them, along with push piers, a viable solution for addressing complex foundation issues. In this blog post, we’ll explain precisely what helical piers are, when they can be an ideal solution, and why they offer select benefits for foundation repair in San Antonio.
Let’s dive deeper into understanding helical piers for foundation repair and why they might be the best choice for your property.
What Are Helical Piers?
Helical piers are deep foundation solutions designed to stabilize and support structures experiencing foundation damage or settlement. They are constructed from high-quality steel shafts with one or more helical plates (helix) welded onto them, resembling giant screws. These helical plates allow the piers to be screwed into the soil until they reach a competent, load-bearing soil layer capable of supporting the structure above.
The main components of helical piers include:
- Shaft: Usually made from durable, galvanized steel to resist corrosion and provide long-lasting support.
- Helical Plates: Also known as blades or flights, these tapered plates help drive the pier deep into the ground.
- Piles: Another term for the entire pier system that supports the structure by transferring its load to deeper, stable soil layers or bedrock.
How They Support Foundations
These foundation piers provide essential support to foundations by transferring structural loads from unstable surface soils to deeper, stable soil layers or bedrock. The installation process involves screwing the piers into the ground using hydraulic equipment until they reach an adequate torque capacity. This torque capacity directly correlates to the pier’s ultimate load-bearing capacity.
Understanding soil conditions is crucial to determine how deep the piers must go to reach stable soil. Properly installed helical piles not only stabilize a settling foundation but also help correct structural alignment issues, preventing future foundation damage and ensuring the long-term structural integrity of the building.
When Are Helical Piers Used?
Helical piers become necessary when structural stability is compromised due to various foundational issues. Understanding when to use them ensures timely repairs and prevents more severe damage.
Types of Foundation Issues
Common signs indicating the need for helical piers include:
- Foundation settlement and sinking: Often due to shifting or unstable soils beneath the foundation.
- Cracked walls and uneven floors: Resulting from differential settlement or foundational movement.
- Damaged footing and structural instability: Typically caused by inadequate soil support or water-induced soil erosion.
Suitable Soil Conditions
These and push piers perform exceptionally well in regions with unstable or expansive soils, common in San Antonio. They efficiently address soil-related problems by anchoring into stable, deeper layers below problematic surface soils. Their design allows them to achieve superior stability even in soils with high moisture content or clay-heavy compositions.
Compatible Foundations
Helical piers are highly versatile and compatible with various types of foundations, including:
- Slab foundations: Common in residential properties across Texas.
- Pier and beam foundations: Often found in older homes, requiring added stability.
- Basement walls and retaining walls: Used to provide extra reinforcement and prevent further wall shifting or collapse.
Helical vs. Steel Push Piers
While often mentioned as part of the same foundation repair job or method, it’s important to understand the differences between helical piers and steel push piers to determine which is best suited for your foundation repair needs.
Let’s explore these differences further.
Key Differences
- Helical piers installation: These piers are screwed into the soil using hydraulic equipment, ideal for both tension and compression applications.
- Steel push piers installation: Driven into the ground using hydraulic pressure, these piers are primarily suitable for compression applications.
- Soil conditions suitability: Helical piers offer adaptability and are suitable for a broad range of soil conditions, making them especially effective in areas with challenging or unstable soils.
Advantages of Helical Piers
Helical piers offer several distinct advantages:
- Versatility: Highly adaptable to various soil types.
- Immediate load-bearing capacity: Structures can be immediately supported after installation.
- Minimal disruption: Installation is quick and clean, causing little disruption to landscaping and homeowners.
The Helical Pier Installation Process
To fully appreciate the benefits of helical piers, it’s helpful to understand the professional installation process clearly.
Step-by-Step Installation
The installation of helical piers involves several carefully executed steps:
- Initial assessment and soil testing: Professionals assess the structure and perform soil tests to determine optimal pier locations, depth, and capacity requirements.
- Excavation and site preparation: Minimal excavation is required, generally just enough to access the foundation footing.
- Use of specialized hydraulic equipment: Hydraulic torque motors are used to screw piers into the soil accurately, ensuring the right torque and depth are reached.
- Installation process details: Helical piers are driven into the ground until achieving the required torque capacity, indicating they’ve reached stable soil capable of supporting the structure. Pier brackets connect the piers to the foundation, and
- Final adjustments and stabilization: Once installed, leveling is verified and adjustments are made to correct any foundation displacement, restoring structural alignment.
Equipment Used in Helical Pier Installation
High-quality hydraulic equipment and machinery are essential pieces of equipment used by professional helical pile installers, including:
- Hydraulic Torque Motors: These are essential for screwing the helical piers into the ground. The hydraulic power packs, together with torque bars, provide the necessary force to rotate the piers with precision, ensuring they reach the appropriate depth and torque needed to stabilize the foundation adequately.
- Excavation Tools: Since minimal excavation is required, specialized small-scale equipment is used to prepare the site. Tools are selected to preserve landscaping and minimize disturbance to the surrounding area. Hand-held power drills are also needed for smaller applications.
- Torque Monitoring Devices: These devices are crucial for measuring the torque during installation. They ensure that the helical piers are driven to the correct depth and achieve the proper load-bearing capacity.
- Lifting Jacks and Brackets: After the piers are installed, hydraulic jacks are employed to lift the foundation slightly, relieving the load and allowing for precise leveling and alignment restoration. Brackets then secure the piers to the foundation.
Certified installation crews ensure correct and efficient installation, reducing construction time significantly.
Benefits of Choosing Helical Piers for Your Foundation
Opting for helical piers as a solution for foundation repair provides homeowners with several significant long-term benefits. These include both practical advantages and overall satisfaction with the results.
- Durability and Long-Term Stability: Helical piers are designed to offer enduring support and stability to your home’s foundation. They are built to withstand varying soil conditions and environmental factors, providing immense load capacity and peace of mind for years to come.
- Faster Installation Compared to Traditional Methods: One of the standout benefits of helical piers is a fast installation process. Unlike more conventional methods that can be time-consuming, helical piers and push piers are quicker to install, reducing labor time and allowing your home to regain its structural integrity sooner.
- Minimal Environmental Impact and Damage to Landscaping: Both push and helical piers are installed with minimal excavation, ensuring that the surrounding landscape remains largely undisturbed. This approach not only preserves the environment but also reduces the need for extensive landscaping repairs post-installation.
Why Professional Installation Matters
When it comes to any pier foundation repairs, the importance of hiring experienced foundation repair specialists cannot be overstated. It’s not a DIY job.
Here’s why professional installation is crucial:
- Expertise of Experienced Professionals: Professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, ensuring that each step of the installation is performed correctly. Their experience allows them to assess unique challenges that your foundation may present and apply the most effective solutions.
- Avoidance of Common Mistakes and Pitfalls: Improper installation of helical or push piers can lead to a variety of issues, including inadequate support, instability, and even further damage to the foundation. Experienced crews are well-versed in avoiding these common pitfalls, ensuring a successful and long-lasting repair.
- Precision and Safety: Trained professionals use specialized equipment to ensure precise installation, avoiding the risks associated with under- or over-torquing the piers. They also adhere to strict safety protocols to protect both the property and the installation crew throughout the process.
Choosing professional installers not only safeguards your investment but also guarantees that your foundation repair will meet industry standards and last for years to come.
Above All Foundation Repair is Ready For the Best Solution
Helical or steel push piers offer a reliable, efficient, and minimally invasive solution for foundation repair in San Antonio. Addressing foundation damage promptly using our steel push piers protects your home’s value, enhances structural integrity, and provides peace of mind.
Contact Above All Foundation Repair today for expert evaluation and professional pier installation.
