Helical piers have become an increasingly popular foundation repair solution for homeowners and contractors alike. These giant, galvanized steel shafts offer a deep foundation option that can be installed quickly and easily in a wide range of soil conditions.

When it comes to foundation repair, several considerable benefits make helical piers a popular choice. However, they’re not the magic solution for every project. In this article, we’ll examine the potential downsides of helical piers and explore alternative methods that might be more suitable for your needs.

What are Helical Piers?

When it comes to deep foundations, one option stands out from the crowd: helical piers. Essentially, they’re massive steel pillars with screw-like flanges.

Faith in traditional foundation methods starts to waver when you’ve seen the prowess of helical piers up close. Helical piers are sturdy steel shafts that are used to buttress buildings in unstable conditions, forming a strong foundation even in weak soils.

Helical piers are sturdy steel shafts that are used to offer support to buildings and form a strong foundation in weak soils.

How are Helical Piers Installed?

When it’s time to install helical piers, the real magic happens. It’s all about precision: rotating those screw piles until they hit the perfect spot, delivering the required bearing capacity.

Helical piers are installed using high-impact hydraulic equipment. For smaller sites where light capacity or smaller piers are being used, hydraulic torsion bars or mini excavators can be used for installation. Large excavators are used for the installation of high-capacity helical piers.

The installation of helical piers takes a few steps and requires adequate equipment.

The installation process has a few steps:

  1. Excavation: The soil around your foundation is excavated to make room for installing the piers.
  2. Pier Installation: The helical piers are driven deep into the soil. Extension shafts can be added for more depth if needed.
  3. Bracket Installation: Next, foundation brackets are installed to connect your piers to the foundation footing.
  4. Final Touches: Finally, any other necessary work, such as foundation lifting, will be done. Your contractor will let you know if you need any extra work.

The machinery makes quick work of it, and before you know it, you’ll have a solid foundation ready to go.

3 Disadvantages of Helical Piers

Let’s face it: helical piers aren’t perfect. Before you commit to using them, it’s essential to acknowledge their downsides and consider whether they’re the best fit for your project.

1. Requires Ample Installation Room

One of the biggest drawbacks of helical piers is that they need plenty of space for the installation equipment to operate. The machinery is quite large, so you need to have adequate room to maneuver and drive the piers into the ground.

2. Not Budget-Friendly

When it comes to cost, helical piers tend to be pricier than other options like push piers. The higher expense is due to the materials, specialized equipment, and labor involved. While helical piers offer many benefits, their cost can be a disadvantage for some property owners.

3. Doesn’t Handle Dense/Rocky Soil Well

Hard, rocky soils can be a challenge for helical piers. The screw-like flanges on these piers struggle to penetrate dense, compacted soil or rock layers, which can lead to added time and expense if pre-drilling is required.

2 Alternatives to Helical Piers

If you’re considering helical piers but aren’t sure if they’re the right fit, here are some alternatives worth exploring.

1. Push Piers

Push piers are another popular choice for foundation repair. They’re hydraulically driven into the ground and use the weight of the structure for resistance. Push piers are generally less expensive than helical piers and can be used in a wider range of soil conditions.

Push piers are solid alternative to helical piers.

2. Concrete Piers

Finding the perfect foundation solution means considering the soil type and load-bearing requirements of the site. That’s where concrete piers rival helical piers. They are a more sturdy and reliable choice for dealing with different soil types.

Concrete piers are known as a great alternative to helical piers as they offer a solid amount of sturdiness.

Why are Helical Piers a Preferred Solution?

Although helical piers have their cons, they’re an excellent choice for many situations.

  • Versatility: Imagine a foundation system that can tackle a broad spectrum of soil conditions, from the most challenging to the most forgiving.
  • Load-bearing Capacity: Helical piers deliver instant support and resistance to lateral loading and uplift forces. Whether it’s soft soils with poor bearing capacity or any other condition, these piers are up to the task.
  • Fast Installation: Helical piers have a speedy and efficient installation process compared to alternatives like push piers and concrete piers.

FAQs

Helical piers are built to last a lifetime. Designers and contractors say helical piers could last over 100 to 150 years.

Yes, since steel is a major component in helical piers, they can be prone to rusting over time.

If something goes wrong during the installation process, helical piers might fail to give your foundation proper support. Work with trained professionals to avoid future problems.

Choose The Perfect Solution for Your Foundation

Ultimately, the best foundation repair method will depend on your unique circumstances, including your budget, soil conditions, and long-term goals for the structure. By weighing the pros and cons of helical piers and exploring alternative options like push piers, concrete piers, and steel piers, you can make an informed decision that will provide the best possible results for your foundation repair needs.

At Crossroads Foundation Repair, we have teams of dedicated experts with years of extensive experience fixing homes with long-lasting solutions. No matter what problems you’re facing with your basement walls and foundation, we help you figure out the right way to solve them– without breaking the bank.

Call us today for a FREE inspection.