Signs of Foundation Settlement in Viper, KY
This stair-step crack from the corner of the window was a sure sign of sinking. The mortar between the bricks is the weakest part of a wall, and is usually the first place to crack. This photo was taken upon inspection.
Problematic Hillside in Viper, KY
You can see the grade of the land slopes down towards the right, which made soil washout from underneath the home. You can also see that the footing of the home is exposed, which was also not a good sign. Footers should be built deeper than the frost line to prevent settling. In Kentucky, the frost line can range from 1-2 feet deep. This photo was taken upon inspection.
Foundational Piers Installation in Viper, KY
You can see the top of the piers poking out of the soil. The shafts of the piers are shaped like a screw, and they are drilled deep down into load-bearing strata. The visible brackets are how we transfer the weight of the home to non-moving soil.
Sticking Door in Viper, KY
This door was becoming harder and harder to open and close shut. This is another common sighting when it comes to foundation settling. This photo was taken upon inspection.
Foundation Underpinning in Viper, KY
The red attachments you see on the brackets of the piers carry hydraulic fluid. This fluid allows us to potentially lift the home back to normalcy. These piers are right below the sticky door seen in the photo before.
Foundation Jacking in Viper, Kentucky
After we try to lift the home to fix sticky doors and close open gaps, we then take the hydraulics off and backfill the piers with soil. Normally, the piers remain concealed, but because the footer was exposed on the home, they will have to stick out a bit. The homeowner was just happy to have their home stabilized.