Sinking & Tilting Home or Building Repair Contractors in Northern, NJ

Causes of sinking and tilting foundations

‍Water is the main culprit in foundation sinking and tilting. Moisture levels in the soil will eventually cause the foundation to settle and possibly crack. Dry and hot conditions can cause the underlying soil to shrink, while wet conditions can cause the soil to expand.

Other causes of foundation sinking and tilting include the following:

• Earthquakes;
• Construction on unstable soils;
• Structural movement due to the home being built over a cistern or well;
• Nearby drainage system or underground stream causing the soil to move;
• Improperly constructed foundations or footings;
• Burrowing animals such as groundhogs; and/or
• Abandoned mines.

At Ideal Basement Waterproofing, we can address these issues to save you from costly repairs in the future.

How to know if your foundation is sinking‍

Some signs of a sinking foundation are obvious, such as when your home or office building begins to tilt. Other signs are not as obvious and may include the following:

• Windows and doors that jam or become misaligned;
• Cracks in the walls;
• Cracks in basement foundations or slabs;
• Floors that gradually become sloped; and/or
• Puddles that form around the exterior of your home.

Concrete leveling and lifting process

At Ideal Basement Waterproofing, we repair sunken concrete using proven concrete lifting and slab leveling techniques. Some of the areas where we use this process include the following:

• Concrete driveways and concrete steps;
• Interior floor slabs;
• Concrete pool decks;
• Sunrooms with concrete floors; and/or
• Concrete patios.

To repair your sinking or tilting foundation, our nondestructive process consists of overcoming weak soil problems to restore the concrete to its proper level. Our experienced technicians use polymer injection. This process includes the insertion of urethane foam under the settled concrete. The foam then expands due to a chemical reaction and lifts the settled concrete and fills any voids in the soil. The foam hardens, and it is light, strong, waterproof, and safe for the environment.

To address sinking foundation walls or chimneys, our experienced technicians may use a different technique in which they drive steel piers into the soil. These steel piers connect the foundation to solid, load-bearing soil found farther underground. This process allows us to bypass the weaker soil that is found directly underneath your foundation.

At Ideal Basement Waterproofing, we can lift and repair your sinking or tilting foundation. Contact us today for an evaluation of your foundation.