How to Repair a Sinking Foundation
If you’re dealing with a settling foundation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you’ve come to the right place. Homes throughout North Texas are built on expansive clay soil, which expands when wet and shrinks when dry. Over time, these constant shifts in the ground can cause your foundation to settle unevenly. When that happens, it needs to be fixed before the problem gets worse.
Here’s what causes a sinking foundation, how we repair it, and what you can expect from the process.
Why Do Foundations Sink?
The soil underneath your home plays the biggest role in keeping your foundation stable. When that soil changes in volume or strength, the foundation can begin to settle. This isn’t just a cosmetic issue; it can affect how your home functions and holds its value.
Here are the most common reasons we see homes in DFW develop foundation issues:
Changes in moisture levels
North Texas weather patterns bring long dry spells followed by heavy rain. Dry soil contracts and pulls away from the foundation. Then, when it rains heavily, the soil swells and shifts, which puts pressure on the foundation and can cause it to move.
Poor drainage
Water that collects around your home instead of draining away can soften the soil and wash it out from underneath your foundation. This can create voids and weak spots that lead to uneven settling. Prolonged exposure to uneven moisture content leads to excessive shifts that lead to settling.
Tree roots
Trees that are too close to the home can draw water out of the soil. Over time, this can dry out the ground and cause the soil to shrink, especially during the summer.
Improper soil compaction during construction
If the soil wasn’t properly compacted before the foundation was poured, it may settle more than expected over time. This can create uneven support for the structure.
These factors can show up in the form of cracks, sticking doors, uneven floors, or gaps between walls and ceilings. Learn more about how to spot a foundation problem before it becomes more serious.
How We Repair a Sinking Foundation
There are a few proven methods we use to stabilize and lift a settling foundation. The right approach depends on your soil conditions, the type of foundation you have, and the severity of the movement.
Pressed Concrete Piers
Pressed piers are a common choice for homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These concrete cylinders are driven into the ground beneath your foundation using the weight of the structure.
Each pier is installed until it reaches load-bearing soil that can support the home’s weight.
Once the piers are in place, hydraulic jacks are used to lift the home back to its correct elevation. This method is often effective for homes built on expansive clay soil.
Steel Push Piers
For foundations that need to be supported at deeper levels, we use steel pressed piers. These are driven into the ground using hydraulic pressure until they reach more stable soil or bedrock.
Steel piers provide a strong, long-lasting solution for homes with significant settling. They are especially useful when lighter soils extend deeper beneath the structure or in rocky or sandy soil.
Both repair methods work by transferring the weight of the home to more stable soil, preventing future settling and bringing the foundation back to a level position.
Hybrid Piers
Unlike most companies that start with just a couple feet of steel, our hybrid system begins with a solid 10-foot steel installation. This design leverages the strength of steel for deep penetration and the affordability of concrete for additional depth. It’s a great choice for homeowners seeking durable results without the higher costs associated with steel-only solutions.
Our hybrid pier installation process mirrors that of traditional steel and concrete pilings but with a unique twist:
- Steel Starter Section: We begin by installing up to 10 feet of steel piling to penetrate through tough layers, including shallow rock.
- Transition to Concrete: A specialized transition piece connects the steel to the concrete, allowing us to seamlessly switch materials.
- Reaching Refusal: Concrete sections are installed until the pier reaches the point of refusal, helping to establish a stable foundation.
What to Expect from the Repair Process
When you schedule a foundation inspection with Align Foundation Repair, we walk you through every step. Here’s what the process looks like, along with answers to the most common questions homeowners ask us.
Step 1: Inspection and Elevation Survey
One of our trained foundation specialists will visit your home and take precise elevation readings using a digital level. These measurements are taken at multiple points across the floors of your home. This gives us a clear map of how the foundation has moved and where the problem areas are.
We also do a visual inspection of cracks, uneven flooring, and misaligned doors to confirm what’s happening below the surface.
Step 2: Creating a Custom Repair Plan
Using the information from the elevation survey, we design a repair plan specific to your home’s needs. This includes the number of piers needed, the type of pier system that’s right for your soil conditions, and exactly where those piers will be placed.
We’ll explain the plan clearly and answer all of your questions, so you know what’s going to happen and why.
Step 3: Pier Installation and Foundation Lift
Here’s the part most people are curious about: how do we install supports under your foundation without damaging it?
We don’t dig under your entire house. Instead, we create small, targeted access holes in the soil right next to your foundation beam. These are carefully placed at the spots identified in your repair plan. Your home doesn’t have to be lifted or moved to do this.
Once we’ve exposed the concrete footing of your foundation in those spots, we install the piers directly beneath the beam using hydraulic equipment. The piers are pushed deep into the ground until they reach load-bearing soil or bedrock.
The hydraulic equipment we use is compact and designed for residential work. It applies pressure slowly and precisely. This part of the process is highly controlled and minimizes disruption to your home.
After the piers are in place, we use hydraulic jacks to carefully lift the foundation in small increments. Elevation measurements are taken again during the lift to make sure your home is being raised evenly and safely.
Step 4: Backfill, Cleanup, and Landscaping
After the foundation has been stabilized and lifted, we secure the piers in place using steel shims. These components are designed to hold your foundation at the corrected elevation and provide long-term support.
Once everything is secured, we backfill the access holes with soil and begin cleaning up the job site. If we had to move or disturb any landscaping, we’ll do our best to restore it as close to its original condition as possible. Our goal is to leave your property clean, safe, and as close to original as possible.
Step 5: Final Walkthrough and Documentation
Once everything is complete, we walk you through the results of the repair. You’ll see a before-and-after elevation comparison so you can understand how much movement was corrected. We also provide documentation of the repair and go over any warranty coverage included.
How Long Does It Take?
Most foundation repair jobs take one to three days to complete. You don’t need to move out or leave your home while we work. We may ask that you avoid certain areas of the yard temporarily, but you’ll still have full access to your home during the project.
We work efficiently and keep noise, dust, and disruption to a minimum.
Protecting Your Home After Repairs
Repairing your foundation is an important step — and keeping it stable over time takes a little ongoing care. Here are some things you can do to help prevent future settling:
- Maintain consistent soil moisture around your foundation year-round
- Improve drainage by extending downspouts and checking grading
- Avoid planting large trees too close to the home
- Consider crawl space encapsulation to manage excess ground moisture, in pier & beam foundations
Our foundation repair in DFW includes solutions for long-term protection. We also offer StegoCrawl® encapsulation systems that help control moisture under your home, improve indoor air quality, and reduce the chance of future foundation movement.
Need Help with a Sinking Foundation?
If you’ve noticed signs of settling, don’t wait. Foundation problems typically get worse with time. The sooner you act, the more options you’ll have — and the more likely you’ll avoid bigger repairs down the road.
Contact Align Foundation Repair for a full inspection and a no-obligation foundation repair estimate. We’ve helped homeowners all across Dallas-Fort Worth restore their homes with care, skill, and trusted results.
