-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Dallas, TX) – Foundation Repair Pros announced the release of their new House Leveling Pier & Beam Homes guide for homeowners in the DFW area. The focus is on learning how to spot signs of foundation failure, potential corrective action options, repair costs and crawl space maintenance tips. The guide can be found at http://bluechipdallas.com
Homes with a crawl space are built on pier and beam foundations (sometimes called post and beam) typically raising the home approximately 18 inches off the ground. This type of foundation has been around for two centuries or more and is a great building option even today. These are designed to support the weight of the home and transfer that weight evenly to the beams, piers and then to the sub-base bedrock below the surface soil.
From a homeowner and repair contractor standpoint, it has several key advantages but primarily ease of access beneath the home to care for any foundation issues or plumbing leaks. When these issues are discovered they can be quickly corrected.
“Many homeowners are not aware that pier & beam foundations are designed so that the crawl space area beneath the home is to be kept bone-dry. People hear about watering their foundations during drought periods…but that applies to slab foundations, not pier & beam foundations,” according to Sheldon Sims of Foundation Repair Pros.
Sims continued, “Dirt crawl spaces are ideal breeding grounds for mold, fungus and termites when the area is wet or damp. These critters feed on the wooden beams, girders, joists and piers supporting the house. Over time these structural components weaken, resulting in significant foundation movement. This movement in turn can result in a variety of damages including bouncing floors, sheetrock cracks, windows & doors not operating properly, leaning chimneys, a sunken front porch and gaps in the walls and ceiling seams.”
The cost of house leveling for pier & beam foundation repair is of course variable, depending on the degree of existing structural damage and correcting the drainage or water accumulation issues. The good news is these costs are significantly less than fixing a slab foundation and typically run in the neighborhood of $3,000 to $6,000+.
Pier & Beam Maintenance Tips
1. Ensure the exterior soil around the home slopes away from the foundation for proper drainage
2. Inspect the crawl space monthly to observe any wood rot, water accumulation or plumbing leaks
3. Replace any damaged piers, beams, girders or joists (Note: not a DIY project!)
About Foundation Repair Pros
Foundation Repair Pros is the leading expert in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for diagnosing and repairing pier & beam foundation problems for the past 30+ years. Their experts are long-term employees who are highly trained and are known for their fair pricing, customer service and guaranteed workmanship. Sims stated that “Publishing our house leveling guide is aimed at helping homeowners prevent as much damage as possible and learning how to preserve the value of their most important investment.” A free no-obligation inspection and consultation is available at http://bluechipdallas.com
Release ID: 302540