The Steel Piling Method of foundation repair is another version of the concrete pressed piling and concrete pressed piling with insert methods. This method of foundation repair has resolved a couple of the disadvantages of these similar methods. However, a number of disadvantages are still present. This article will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of this repair method.

The Steel Piling method of foundation repair has some advantages. Its total job time is usually very short. Usually a contractor can install steel piles under a home in one or two days. Also, steel piles can be pushed deeper than concrete piles because they have a smaller diameter (less than three inches vs. six inches for concrete piles). Steel piles are stronger and less prone to breakage than the common concrete piles. They are also used in areas of harder soils because they can be pushed deeper into the ground than concrete piles.

Like its concrete cousins, steel piles use the weight of the home or building structure to push piles into the ground. This is probably the most serious disadvantage of this method. This method of pushing piles into the soil presents a risk to the foundation of the home or commercial building. When the steel piles are being pushed into the ground they will reach a “refusal point,” which is the point where the weight of the home or building is no longer sufficient to push additional steel piles into the ground. When this point is reached then the work crew should stop immediately. Any further attempts to push steel piles beyond the refusal point could result in damage to the both the foundation and the home or building structure.

An inherent disadvantage of all methods that push piles into the ground, including the steel piling method of foundation repair, is misalignment. Although steel piles are stronger than concrete piles, they are still subject to misalignment during the installation process for a variety of reasons. Any number of obstructions, such as rocks or tree roots, can cause misalignment of the steel piles. In addition, the piles can simply “wander” off at an angle during the installation process. The fact is that there is simply no way to confirm that steel piles 10 or 20 feet below the ground surface are aligned in a straight vertical column. If a column of vertical steel piles is misaligned then it will not provide the intended support for the foundation.

Other disadvantages of the steel piling method of foundation repair include the lack of a soil test, less ability to resist uplift, and failure to reach the refusal point. If the repair contractor does not perform a soil test then he does not know the depth of the stable soil or bedrock. Also, since the steel piles are thinner than concrete piles, they have less ability to resist the forces of soil movement, especially upheaval (uplift), which is one of the major problems affecting concrete slab foundations. And finally, if the refusal point is reached before reaching stable soil or bedrock then the column of steel piles will not provide the intended support for the home or building structure.

Author Bio: Martin Dawson is the co-founder of Dawson Foundation Repair headquartered in Houston, Texas. He is a leading authority on repairing failed commercial and home foundations using the time tested and thoroughly researched drilled Bell Bottom Pier method. His company has serviced Texas since 1984 and been a member of the Better Business Bureau and the Foundation Repair Association.

Category: Real Estate
Keywords: Steel Piling Method of Foundation Repair, Texas, home foundation repair