"An important fact in home construction is that a home is only as strong as its foundation," said Brent Goodman of StableLift in San Antonio. "However, even the strongest foundations require reinforcement at some point." Foundations, like other structures, get old, pockmarked and weak. Home leveling is normally done to remodeled homes due to the extra weight added to the foundation. Foundations can only take as many winters and summers before the thaw and freeze cycle takes a toll on their stability. In many situations, some kind of home leveling is necessary.

Underpinning

Home leveling is often referred to as concrete underpinning or simply underpinning. There are many strategies used in this foundation strengthening technique. However, all the strategies involve drilling the foundation and using certain materials to support the structure in the areas that are sagging or sinking into the sand or soil. All techniques used in underpinning involve excavating the soil up to the foundation, drilling the concrete and inserting materials that will provide extra support to the foundation. It is important to note that none of the techniques used in underpinning guarantee a more stable foundation. In fact, it could lead to further sinking or instability if done improperly.

Conventional

This is one of the oldest home leveling techniques. It involves digging a number of pits near or under the foundation where it is sinking. Then ​concrete poured in the pits and trenches dug on the lowest point of the sinking foundation. The extra support provided by the concrete will make the unsupported areas of the house to sink as well leveling the house. This technique is mostly used to prevent further sinking.

Nails and Brackets

Here piles and nails are used to strengthen the foundation. Whether to use a pile or nail is determined by the type of structure. The nail and concrete techniques are mostly used for houses. The bracket technique involves inserting piles or nails at regular intervals on the sinking side of the foundation. Bracket technique is normally used on heavier structures such as hospitals, public buildings and schools among others. Homes use micro piles and concrete pits.

Micro piles

This technique involves drilling into the middle of a concrete foundation and fixing sturdy piles in the foundation. The piles are designed to lift the structure and expand the foundation on the unstable or sinking side.

Resin

This method was developed in New Zealand. It involves injecting resin in the middle of the foundation using tiny holes drilled in the foundation. The resin expands with time, lifting the foundation in the process. The expansion of the resin and transformation into a hard form fills up cracks and holes in the foundation. Structures that are not completely level will develop a slope on the floor. In most cases, the instability arises from uneven concrete or sagging joints. House leveling techniques allows homeowners to repair such problems and make their homes more level. However, it is advisable to seek professional advice before starting the home leveling procedure. Homeowners who do not know what they are doing can further damage their foundations.

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StableLift Foundation Repair in San Antonio specializes in services homes of central Texas. The wide variety of soil in Central Texas means that every job is unique. Look at StableLift's Facebook page here for more.