Pier and Beam Foundation Repair in Baltimore and Surrounding Areas
Slab foundations are the most common foundation in Baltimore, as they are an affordable yet durable application that supports the home’s structural integrity. However, homeowners who want an alternative may choose a pier and beam foundation.
Pier and beam foundations consist of underground piers set to align with the house’s corners and critical walls. Then, installers connect the piers with the rest of the building using horizontal beams connecting to the vertical piers to help stabilize it. Unlike the piers, these beams are installed above the soil, creating a convenient crawl space beneath the house. The homeowners can use the space to run plumbing lines, electrical system wiring, and many other installations that would otherwise run through the walls.
Causes Behind Pier and Beam Foundation Damage
As convenient as pier and beam foundations are, they’re still foundations. In other words, they suffer from many of the same problems as other foundation types:
Soil shifting: Shifting soil doesn’t support any foundation type well, and pier and beam foundations are no exception. Soil movement due to long periods of freezing and thawing or drought can displace piers, beams, joists, and other parts of the structure.
Prolonged moisture exposure: Although pier and beam foundations can be constructed with different materials, most builders use wood. Heavy rainfall that saturates the ground spreads to these sections. Left unprotected, they rot, and their ability to support the house diminishes.
Renovations: A pier and beam foundation is installed to bear a specified load. Adding extra weight during renovations may negatively impact the foundation.
Erosion: Wind and water are so powerful that they can erode the soil. Once ground erodes, it leaves voids that destabilize pier and beam foundations.
How Pier and Beam Foundation Repair Works
Some pier and beam foundation damage is irreparable. Thankfully, this only happens in extreme soil settlement or erosion. Experienced professionals, such as Accurate Builders of the Chesapeake, can fix most foundation problems with cutting-edge equipment.
The repair method mainly depends on the extent of the damage. For instance, if the foundation has minor displacement, shimming may be all that’s necessary to repair it. Shimming is done by installing thin, tapered pieces of wood or other material (called shims) between piers and beams to level and reinforce the system and prevent further movement.
Wet wood is also a relatively minor issue. It generally requires our team to replace the parts with new joists or sills. It’s a minimally invasive process that shouldn’t take more than a few days.
More severe damage may warrant a heavy-duty approach. We may need to reconstruct or add new piers if the original ones can no longer support the property. Alternatively, underpinning the foundation reinforces the system and makes it more resilient to land shifts.
Our Reviews
Accurate Builders of the Chesapeake - Pier and Beam Foundation Repair Experts in Baltimore.
Some pier and beam foundation repairs sound straightforward but aren’t DIY projects. A misaligned board here and there can displace the house’s entire support system, leading to widespread damage. Rather than gamble, hire Accurate Builders of the Chesapeake for an efficient fix. We can repair any pier and beam foundation correctly the first time around.