Basement Waterproofing Case Studies: Foundation Settlement in Suffern, NY
Challenge
A two story home built in 1987 with a poured concrete foundation was experiencing foundation settlement. The homeowners began noticing cracks on the foundation walls of the home. They also noticed 3-4 inches of slab settlement on their basement floor. The movement of the home’s foundation was causing several problems in the upper floors of the home such as cracks in the drywall and issues with the doors and windows closing properly. Upon opening the floor along rear wall we discovered the footing had dropped up to 3’ from the wall in an area 25’ long. As we opened the floor back towards the front wall we discovered voids up to 4’ deep in an area up to 300 square feet. Not only was the foundation of the home settling but the homeowners also had water leaking into the basement during heavy rains. These cosmetic problems, along with the overall safety of the home and property value were of great concern to the homeowner.
Solution
Quality 1st Basement Systems recommended the installation of Foundation Supportworks Model 288 Push Piers, Helical Piers, Geo-LockTM Wall Anchors and CarbonAmorTM. To supplement the dropped footing we installed steel I beams in 3’ sections at each pier location to help carry the wall load. To fill the voids we used 17 yards of Foundation Supportworks Stable Fill as a lightweight solid fill to stabilize the settlement. The installation of the forty-four (44) Model 288 Push Piers stabilized and lifted the settled area of the home by installing. The piers were installed at a spacing of 4-5 feet in a span of three weeks. To repair the water seepage issue Quality 1st installed the Waterguard french drain system as well as the Triplesafe Sump Pump. The installation resulted in a stabilized foundation and deck. The rear foundation wall was also permanently stabilized, preventing any further movement. The Stable Fill valley all voids. The doors and windows now open and close smoothly, and the home has been raised back toward a level position. With the installation of the french drains and sump pump the basement will be kept dry. The lawn and landscaping around the home were left in excellent condition. The homeowner was extremely pleased with the results as well as the efficiency and cleanliness of the Quality 1st Basement Systems crew.
Project Summary
Project Engineer: Hayman Engineering
Installing Contractor: Quality 1st Basement Systems
Quality 1st Certified Inspector: Ken Peare
Quality 1st Project Supervisor: Ruben Garrido
Products Installed: 44 Foundation Supportworks Push Piers,10 Foundation Supportworks Helical Piers, 4 Geo-Lock Wall Anchors, 9 Carbon Armor Straps, Stablefill, Waterguard, Triplesafe Sump Pump
