Cracks Around Window on Clemson, SC Home Repaired with Push Piers

Before	After

There are several different types of cracks that can occur with foundation problems like settlement. Sometimes these cracks are separation cracks (like a chimney separating from the home or around a door or window, drywall cracks, but the most common type of cracking is stair-step cracking. This cracking often starts at the corner of a door or window and looks like stairs from the side. 

One of the cracks that had appeared on the outside of this home was following a stair-step pattern. They are more common on cinder block or brick walls, because the mortar breaks easier than the bricks and takes the path of least resistance. However, this crack seemed to take a pattern similar to this. The crack started around the window and slowly made its way up and up to the top of the wall.

The difference between the before and after pictures may not seem too significant, but a lot has been done between the two photos. The biggest thing that was done was the crew installing several push piers in order to lift and stabilize the foundation. The push piers help to raise the foundation back towards its original position. After the lifting has been done, the crew mixed up some new mortar and covered the crack. A little bit of paint and the area will look as good as new!

First Stages of an Encapsulation in Clemson, SC

Before	After

Pictured as the “before” is the crawlspace before All-Dry of the Carolina began the process of moisture proofing it. It has all the tells of a bad, humid situation. Insulation is hanging on to the ceiling by a thread. The plastic liner they have is saturated with water and dirt. The air itself smells horrible and is not fit for man or beast.

Meanwhile, the Clemson, South Carolina is given a new lease on life in the “after” photo. This is only part two of a staged process. Here, the old liner has been removed. Along the walls, we’ve installed the first wave of our patented, 20 mils thick CleanSpace liner. Across the dirt floor, drainage matting has been fitted and installed. The purpose of this dimpled material is to guide the water towards the sump pump. The following stage is to place CleanSpace on top of this material.

The final stage should give this crawlspace a total encapsulation.

Push Piers installed in Clemson, SC

Before	After

Nothing is worse than losing your stomach as you begin to freefall. We expect the ground that we are standing on to be strong and durable. So imagine how homeowners feel when their house begins to fall out from under them. After time, homes begin to settle and mold to the earth under them. Depending on how sturdy the earth is, determines how a home will settle. Homes that are on hills are very likely to mold to the natural layout of the land. But don’t worry! We at All-Dry of the Carolinas are here for you to lean on when you aren’t strong.

As you can see in the before picture, the crawlspace wall has cracked from the pressure of the house. To solve this problem our team at All-Dry of the Carolinas were able to install Push Piers, which is a support system. The crack in the wall is then forced back together, although in some cases the cracks don’t close completely. That is not something to worry about, the Push Piers will continue to support the structure and prevent further damage. In the after picture you can see the Push Piers holding the wall along with cement that has been used to seal the rest of the crack.