Foundation Repair Case Studies: Push Pier Installation in St. Louis, MO

Challenge

This resident of St. Louis, MO was noticing signs of a foundation problem both inside and outside his house.  There were stair-step cracks in the outside brick walls, and the vertical cracks were wider, indicating that the wall was rotating outward.  Also, some of the windows were separating from the framing and had cracks extending from the corners.  Inside the home, there were cracks in the drywall that followed the seams.  The homeowner wanted to fix the issue before it became more severe.

Solution

Foundation SupportWorks by Woods Basement Systems installed Push Piers around the outside perimeter of the home.  Push piers are made of steel and are driven deep into a stable layer of soil.  They can be installed from the interior or exterior of the home and provide the best opportunity to lift the home back toward its original position.  Most times, the installation of the piers closes cracks and improves the operation of doors and windows.

In order to install the piers, soil is first removed from the area where the pier will be driven.  A heavy-duty bracket is installed below and against the foundation’s footing, and the piers are hydraulically driven through the bracket and down to bedrock.  Then the weight of the home is transferred to the stable soil below.  After installation is complete, the soil is backfilled and the home is permanently stabilized in its new position.

Push piers cause minimal disturbance from installation and have a quick installation time compared to other solutions.  The resident was very pleased with the work done by Woods and can now have peace of mind with his home.