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Home»Foundation Repair»Photo Gallery»Settling Foundation in 1940s Duluth Home Restored

Foundation Repair Photo Album: Settling Foundation in 1940s Duluth Home Restored

This Duluth, MN home was built in the 1940s and had some major issues with sinking and settling. In preparation to sell the home, the owner wanted the foundation issues expertly fixed. After a referral from another local business in the Duluth/Superior area, they reached out to DBS for a free, no-obligation estimate for the foundation work.DBS Design Specialist Henrik Makitalo is an expert in foundation repair. After inspecting the home inside and out, he found several symptoms of settlement and proposed a plan for the home repair using our push pier system. DBS Foreman Jose Valenzuela and his foundation crew completed this project. After excavating the soil around the foundation of the home, they installed 4 push piers, as well as an exterior drain to help water move away from the foundation. The push piers attached to the home via steel brackets. Then, long, galvanized tubes are hydraulically driven into the soil. Once competent soil is reached, the weight of the home is transferred and lifted back to its original position. This home is now returned to a safe and level position and ready to go on the real estate market!

Duluth, MN Home with Heaving and Sinking Foundation

This sinking corner is having an effect on the entire home. As evidenced by the vertical cracks, this drooping corner is not properly supporting this portion of the home.

4 Push Piers to be Installed Here

In order for this corner to be properly supported, our team will install our push pier foundation repair system along both walls.

Basement Shows Settlement Cracking

This horizontal crack shows issues with heaving in this foundation wall. What is causing this issue? Soil pressure. As soil expands during the wintertime or wet periods, it expands to put pressure on basement walls. During dry periods, the soil contracts, leaving space between the soil and basement wall. This ebb and flow of soil movement has a lasting effect on basement foundation walls.

Push Piers Yield Instant Results

As our foreman and crew are installing the piers, they are able to immediately tell when the foundation is stabilized via the use of pressure gauges on the hydraulic system.

Installer Brian Makes Adjustments

Brian is removing the push pier guide and preparing for the next push pier.

Push Piers for a Sinking Foundation

Shown here is an installed push pier and bracket. Once installed, the products have a 25-year warranty against defects.

Sinking and Heaving Corner Raised

With the push pier installation along this corner, our team was able to successfully raise this heaving corner.

Exterior Drain Tile System

Our team connected this drain tile system to the sump inside the home. This will better disperse water as it exits the home. Ensuring the soil next to your foundation is not exceedingly wet is important. Wet soil is heavy soil, and expands to put pressure on basement walls.