Underpinning foundations can help prevent heaving
Underpinning foundations can help deal with all kinds of soil conditions – and as the cold of winter gives way to the rainy days of spring, ‘heaving’ is one issue that you might encounter.
Soil is subject to a lot of weather-related effects, and we recently told you about expansive soils, which can become unpredictable in particularly dry conditions.
However, when it is especially wet, all types of soil can experience heaving – this is when the level of moisture in the ground becomes high enough that the soil expands significantly, and can literally push foundations upwards out of the earth.
By underpinning foundations, you can tackle this effect by strengthening the position of your structure within the topmost layers of soil.
Alternatively, if you are working on a new construction project, concrete piles can give support to your foundation or basement levels from deeper underground.
When weather conditions are less than favourable, there is the option of using pre-cast concrete piles delivered from off-site.
These offer the strength of reinforced concrete, but are not subject to the vagaries of the weather during their drying time, ensuring that the necessary chemical reactions can take place to make them strong and reliable.