Pier and beam foundation
Pier and beam foundation
Problems associated with pier and beam foundations can be very difficult to pin-point as foundation problems as there are a lot of things happening with pier and beam foundations that might normally not be within a typical slab on grade foundation, like the actual sagging with the beams between the piers, or lateral movement with the piers, or uneven loading with the piers (which is a type of foundation failure).
So not only may a pier and beam foundation be subject the identical problems that a regular layer of concrete on grade foundation might be subject to, but a pier and beam foundation might have additional problems that may have almost nothing to do with the soil supporting the piers. Let's briefly discuss some of these non-soil related problems.
One of the primary problems that you could have using a pier and beam foundation is because of either deterioration (rotting) of the beams spanning between piers (if using wood beams) or excessive deflections (sagging of the beams). As wood beams get older, they tend to disintegrate because they're not well protected in the environment. As the years pass, the beams start to increasingly sag, meaning everything that those beams support will also sag. A wall being based on these beams will begin cracking, giving the illusion that there is a foundation problem. A structural Engineer would usually be capable of tell you if this is a problem
Another common problem for pier and beam foundations is the lateral movement of the piers. In many instances a floor over a pier and beam foundation is several feet out from the ground, we've even seen houses out with over 4ft away from the ground. Understandably, when the wind pressure pushes up against the house these wind forces must be somehow transferred returning to the ground which means the top of these piers act as flag poles, swaying backwards and forwards with the wind. It may not be noticeable to the human eye, but the little movement is enough to develop some cracks inside the walls, giving you again the illusion that you've a foundation problem. Yet again, a knowledgeable Structural Engineer could determine if this is a problem.
Uneven pier loading is the one other common problem for pier and beam foundations. Insect activity . problem with the design of the building blocks as it relates to knowing where you can put the piers. Heavily loaded areas (like load bearing walls) and lightly loaded areas (similar to the middle of the family area) could settle differentially from the other person if the design wasn't done correctly from the beginning; which is, the piers on the heavy loaded may "sink" further than the piers in the lightly loaded areas when the piers were not properly engineered. This differential movement causes cracks in the floors (if using brittle finishes) in addition to cracks in the wall. This can be a foundation problem, but this is difficult to verify it because it could easily be mistaken for soil movement due to the soil moisture changing. The best choice is to get a Structural Engineer to gauge the problem.
We have been through just a few examples of issues that you could face with a pier and beam foundation, so when you can see, not all problems relate to the foundation. It is more than meets the eye. The moral with this story is, just because you see a crack that doesn't mean you have a foundation problem, and if you want an honest and unbiased opinion then obtain a Structural Engineer that doesn't work for a foundation repair company.
pier and beam foundation
Problems associated with pier and beam foundations can be very difficult to pin-point as foundation problems as there are a lot of things happening with pier and beam foundations that might normally not be within a typical slab on grade foundation, like the actual sagging with the beams between the piers, or lateral movement with the piers, or uneven loading with the piers (which is a type of foundation failure).
So not only may a pier and beam foundation be subject the identical problems that a regular layer of concrete on grade foundation might be subject to, but a pier and beam foundation might have additional problems that may have almost nothing to do with the soil supporting the piers. Let's briefly discuss some of these non-soil related problems.
One of the primary problems that you could have using a pier and beam foundation is because of either deterioration (rotting) of the beams spanning between piers (if using wood beams) or excessive deflections (sagging of the beams). As wood beams get older, they tend to disintegrate because they're not well protected in the environment. As the years pass, the beams start to increasingly sag, meaning everything that those beams support will also sag. A wall being based on these beams will begin cracking, giving the illusion that there is a foundation problem. A structural Engineer would usually be capable of tell you if this is a problem
Another common problem for pier and beam foundations is the lateral movement of the piers. In many instances a floor over a pier and beam foundation is several feet out from the ground, we've even seen houses out with over 4ft away from the ground. Understandably, when the wind pressure pushes up against the house these wind forces must be somehow transferred returning to the ground which means the top of these piers act as flag poles, swaying backwards and forwards with the wind. It may not be noticeable to the human eye, but the little movement is enough to develop some cracks inside the walls, giving you again the illusion that you've a foundation problem. Yet again, a knowledgeable Structural Engineer could determine if this is a problem.
Uneven pier loading is the one other common problem for pier and beam foundations. Insect activity . problem with the design of the building blocks as it relates to knowing where you can put the piers. Heavily loaded areas (like load bearing walls) and lightly loaded areas (similar to the middle of the family area) could settle differentially from the other person if the design wasn't done correctly from the beginning; which is, the piers on the heavy loaded may "sink" further than the piers in the lightly loaded areas when the piers were not properly engineered. This differential movement causes cracks in the floors (if using brittle finishes) in addition to cracks in the wall. This can be a foundation problem, but this is difficult to verify it because it could easily be mistaken for soil movement due to the soil moisture changing. The best choice is to get a Structural Engineer to gauge the problem.
We have been through just a few examples of issues that you could face with a pier and beam foundation, so when you can see, not all problems relate to the foundation. It is more than meets the eye. The moral with this story is, just because you see a crack that doesn't mean you have a foundation problem, and if you want an honest and unbiased opinion then obtain a Structural Engineer that doesn't work for a foundation repair company.
pier and beam foundation