What every homeowner should know about foundation repair in Fort Smith
When it comes to foundation repair services, a little information can save you a lot of money and worry as an Arkansas property owner. Whether your property is residential or commercial, the tips in this easy guide can take the mystery out of modern foundation repair – preparing you to make informed choices about the options that are best for you and your budget.
Foundations in Arkansas, especially in the Fort Smith area, are designed to remain stable in a mix of sand, silt, and loam soil types. According to the National Park Service, which oversees historic river sites in Arkansas, these local soil types are usually supported by ancient sandstone bedrock formed during what geologists call the “Pennsylvanian” age.
Temperature extremes, which can play a big part in foundation deterioration, tend not to be as severe in the Fort Smith region as in other parts of the country. Rainfall tends to be moderate and consistent, and while snowfall rarely exceeds six inches per year, the area does experience ice storms. All these factors, along with relatively high local humidity, can gradually strain a foundation and contribute to settling and erosion of supporting soil beneath your property.
Cost-Effective Foundation Repair. Industry Leading Warranty Programs. Proven Results.
Even the highest quality buildings experience some natural settling over time. If it happens slowly and evenly enough, it may be barely noticeable. Problems start when settling is more sudden or localized, or when erosion pulls supporting soil away from parts of the foundation, causing it to shift or sink. The resulting cracks or separations can let pests or unwanted moisture in, which in turn can lead to worsening structural deterioration.
Olshan Foundation Repair has been protecting residential and commercial properties since 1933. Arkansas homeowners trust Olshan’s free expert evaluations, transparent estimates, budget-friendly payment plans, and industry-leading warranty programs. Call Olshan when you have questions about foundation repair, crawl space repair, crawl space encapsulation, exterior water management, or concrete leveling.
Foundation repair
People naturally think of foundations as rigid, permanent things, so the idea of “foundation repair” might sound strange at first. The truth is, foundations can be as vulnerable to the elements as the parts of the structure you see above ground. Fortunately, there are effective repair technologies that have been improving for as long as we’ve had modern foundations. For decades, reputable companies like Olshan have been perfecting methods to safely restore virtually any foundation – slab, poured footing, pier and beam – to like-new condition.
Only Olshan offers the patented Cable Lock™ ST Plus piling system to homeowners in the Fort Smith area. This proprietary system combines the structural advantages of concrete pilings and steel pilings and is locked together with an engineered cable. This results in a stronger and longer lasting repair when compared with outdated repair methods such as steel piers, concrete pads, or bell bottom piers and is less disruptive to your property than expensive helical piers.
Crawl space repair and encapsulation
If you have a crawl space under your house, as many Arkansas homeowners do, chances are you have a “pier and beam” foundation. The most common ones have a concrete or masonry perimeter matching the footprint of the house, with an interior mix of wood beams and concrete support piers set at engineered intervals.
As the surrounding soil settles over time, some of the supporting piers can shift out of alignment, causing floors to sag and putting extra loads on beams and joists that they were not designed to bear. Pests and unwanted moisture can also cause wooden parts of the structure to decay and lose their load bearing capacity.
As with most foundation types, trouble signs include sticky doors and windows, floors that creak or feel spongy, and indoor humidity problems. Olshan Certified Structural Technicians can help you assess the damage and recommend the best repair options to get your pier and beam foundation back in shape. Piers can be adjusted. Decayed wood can be replaced. Pest and drainage issues can be corrected. Olshan’s crawl space restoration options include:
- Interior waterproofing with EZ Drain Plus
- Pipe and rock drainage or sump pumps
- Structural repair with SafeAdjust™ support columns (works with Cable Lock™ ST Plus)
- LumberKote spray-on polymer seal for beams, joists, and subflooring
- Crawl space encapsulation with water-resistant liners and dehumidification
- Vapor barriers
- Sump pumps
- Gravity drains
Basement waterproofing
For homes with full basements, Olshan has affordable and reliable technology to restore bowed and cracked basement walls with Wall Lock™ wall anchors, adjustable braces, carbon fiber strips, or epoxy crack injections, in addition to all the remedial methods mentioned above.
Exterior water management
Although extreme storm activity is somewhat rare in the Fort Smith area, we all know that water happens. Depending on when and where your property was built, unexpected moisture may not be properly draining away from your foundation. This could be caused by soil erosion, runoff from neighboring properties, or poor grading practices when your property was first developed. Broken or leaky pipes could also cause standing water to weaken your foundation.
Even relatively small amounts of unwanted water can lead to foundation trouble. Water itself can put a surprising amount of strain on parts of your foundation with what experts call “hydrostatic pressure.” Whether it’s from natural ground water changes, excess storm water, or human error, water issues can wash supporting soil out from under your foundation or cause wood components to rot and fail. Olshan can help you prevent serious damage with grading improvements, exterior drainage solutions, and practical remedies like downspout extensions.
Concrete leveling
Whether you have a slab foundation, or exterior concrete in the form of driveways, walkways, patios, or pool decks, they can sink, tilt, crack, or separate for a variety of reasons. In most cases, all these slab types can be leveled again without major disruption to your property. If your home is supported by a slab foundation, Olshan usually recommends piers or pilings that are sized for your local conditions. Again, these can be tied together and reinforced as needed using Olshan’s patented Cable Lock™ ST Plus piling system.
In situations that call for lighter repairs, slabs can be quickly and affordably leveled and stabilized using injectable polyurethane foam. This method is ideal when soil erosion has left smaller voids beneath your slab that leave portions unsupported. Trained Olshan technicians drill very small holes and inject the foam which gently lifts the slab back into its original alignment. The foam cures almost instantly and you can drive on it the same day. Once the foam is in place, technicians patch and seal the insertion holes so that they’re barely visible.
PolyLift works great on:
- Garage floors
- Driveways
- Patios
- Porches
- Pool Decks
- Sidewalks
- and more!
How to choose the right foundation repair partner
Olshan Foundation Repair has been a leader in the industry for over 90 Years, and we uphold the same original principles that made us successful in the beginning. We utilize the most innovative house leveling and waterproofing technology available, but we also provide quality service and stand behind our work on every single project. That’s our promise to you, our customers, and we intend to keep it.
When you call on a foundation repair and restoration expert, make sure they can offer:
- Free, no-obligation evaluations
- A fully transparent estimate of your repair options
- Fair pricing and reasonable warranty protection
- Affordable payment plan alternatives
- Qualified technicians and crew members
- Trustworthy customer service after the job
- A positive reputation in your local community
Call our Fort Smith regional office today to schedule a free evaluation that will put your worries to rest.
