Every house’s foundation will change over time. The incredible weight of your house and the unstable nature of soil cause it to shift and change. The actual concrete can change somewhat over time as well. It will sink and shift in the ground until it finds some kind of bedrock that anchors it, if that ever happens. This is usually what people are referring to when they say a home is settling. A home can “settle” for a number of years before house foundation repair becomes necessary. If you think your home might be in need of a repair, here is how it works.
The Inspection
First, you should call specialists in house foundation repair in Houston, TX. They will come to your house and inspect the foundation. They’ll gauge whether or not it is level and look for signs of damage to the foundation. If they find signs of damage, they will dig under the foundation to find the cause. They will then begin your home foundation repair in Houston, TX. This can take several forms, but the most common is the installation of pilings.
Pilings
Your foundation is horizontal; pilings are vertical. They run perpendicular to the foundation and into the ground. These basic instruments of house foundation repair help root the foundation in the ground and prevent it from shifting. They can prevent this by burrowing all the way down into bedrock or just by providing a vertical resistance to a horizontal shift.
Pilings can be made of concrete, steel, or wood. Commonly, they are made of steel beams that run into the ground that are surrounded by concrete. That protects your home and is also not very likely to rot or corrode. The professionals you hire can determine which ones are best for your house; that will mostly depend on the nature of the damage and the type of soil around your house.
