Sinking Floor - Foundation Issues
If you've noticed a sinking floor or floors that are separating from baseboards, you may have subsidence. A sinking concrete floor can be a sign of the subsidence of a building or a confined floor sinking into its footprint. In most cases, a sinking floor is isolated to the concrete slab within a building's structural walls. Where supporting walls are built off a slab, you may see diagonal cracks in walls in the area where there is the most subsidence. If you need sinking floor repair in Orange County, call the experts at Geobear.
What causes my floor to sink?
When floors are sinking, subsidence is often the root cause. When subsidence causes changes to the soil beneath your home, your floors may sink or shift. Because a number of things can cause subsidence, the triggering event may have side effects within days or months. For example, when there is an extensive period without rainfall, the soil contracts. You may see signs of subsidence in your floors in days, weeks, or even months. Alternatively, excess water such as a leaking drain, may cause a washout of the ground or soil beneath your concrete slab, leading to downward movement of the entire floor. This will require re-leveling of your home.
Common Causes:
- Flooding
- An extensive period without rain allows the soil to become too dry- contraction
- Excessive water due to broken pipes (such as water, sewage, storm water drainage)
- Fillings that have been compacted poorly
- The removal of resources (liquid, gas or mineral) from the ground
- Moisture can be removed from the ground by tree roots
- Vibrations caused by heavy road traffic or machines
- Heavy loading
How to Fix a Sinking Floor
To repair sinking floors in Orange County, we first need to diagnose the root cause. In some cases, this is invasive tree roots. In other cases, it is natural compaction of soil. Once we understand the problem, we can provide a permanent solution. Many times, we can lift the floor back to the original position.
We use our patented technology to inject an expansive material into the ground. This material expands and hardens to fill voids in the soil and stabilize the ground. Once the voids are filled in the soil, the material will force the concrete slab up. Many cases involve complete releveling of the sinking floor.
The alternative is traditional underpinning or mini piles which involve the excavation of parts of the foundation. This is a very long, inconvenient approach that should only be considered a last resort. While the underpinning approach takes weeks to complete, Geobear's geopolymer injection can take just one day. To learn more, fill out the contact form below for a consultation with our sinking floor repair experts in Orange County.
Geobear USA is the North American Division of Geobear International
Why Choose Geobear?
You can stay in the property. We isolate areas for treatment to allow you to stay in your home, our friendly team will talk you through the process.
Work completed in one day. The majority of projects on houses usually take one day, be it a gable wall, extension or conservatory subsidence
Insurance-backed warranty. We provide a full workmanship and materials guarantee.
Customer finance or credit card payments. We accept payment via card and can accept customer finance agreements.
No excavation or digging needed. Your home will be left clean and tidy. There is no construction work at all.
Provides the same result as underpinning. Our solution is the alternative to underpinning, providing the same result without the time, mess and hassle of major building work.
How Geopolymer Injection Compares
In comparison to concrete, which can need replacement, geopolymer offers a permanent solution. While using cement grouting, screw pillars, and underpinning require heavy machinery, geopolymer injection doesn’t turn your home into a construction site. Unlike all of these solutions, geopolymer doesn’t require excavation of the foundation soil.
Our subsidence solutions are painless and easy because we simply drill small holes and inject our material. Because of this, the process of introducing our geopolymer subsidence solutions to the affected area is faster and cleaner for all types of subsidence. Using geopolymer as a solution to subsidence is the most convenient and least disruptive option. Methods like underpinning, delivered by traditional building contractors, are becoming dated as modern technology evolves.
Learn more about how geopolymer compares by checking out our article on geopolymer vs. underpinning or viewing our handy comparison chart.
How do we resolve soil subsidence in just 2 days?
OUR EXPERTS DRILL HOLES IN THE AFFECTED AREA
WE INJECT A SPECIAL GEOPOLYMER RESIN
THE RESIN INSTANTLY HARDENS LIKE CONCRETE
THE PROPERTY IS RAISED AND FOUNDATIONS STABILISED
At just 16mm they're typically the size of a 10p and often we don't even need internal access.
In a quick and easy process we inject a special geopolymer that will expand and harden to support the property.
Within just 15 minutes the geopolymer has expanded to fill any voids and stabilise the ground and is already 90% cured.
You'll see the results instantly. Often cracks disappear and doors unstick as we raise the property.
