Problem: Garage Column Cracks
Georgia produces the perfect weather for foundation problems. Humidity, heat, and other issues can lead to problems with your foundation, and not just in your home. Your garage’s foundation might be settling too, and this is most noticeable because of garage column cracks. These are often horizontal or vertical cracks running along your garage columns.
Problems that may occur along with garage column cracks include:
- wall or floor cracks in the home
- sticking doors or windows
- cracked/shifting garage floor and driveway
- gaps of space between doorjambs and wall
Garage column cracks can be a big safety hazard. Most of the time, garage columns are the main support for your garage, and cracks can make them more susceptible to crumbling or falling. Garage column cracks should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent damage to your garage, home, and possessions.
Garage columns often crack because the slab beneath the columns is shifting. It is common for slabs and foundations to sink or settle over time due to unevenly packed soil or excess moisture that causes the soil to heave and expand. If you have garage column cracks, you might also be experiencing wall or floor cracks in your home, sticking doors or windows, or moisture in your basement or crawlspace.
Solution: Carbon Fiber Strips
Luckily, garage columns can usually be repaired with very little hassle or cost. Carbon fiber strips may be used to reinforce any walls or columns that threaten collapse. These carbon fiber strips are an eco-friendly way of supporting the wall. The strips are applied with a high strength epoxy. These strips are barely visible and can be painted over. Carbon fiber strips help support the wall and can cover many of the cracks. They can be installed quickly and make no mess of your home.
Solution: Underpinning
Underpinning can help keep your garage level and stable. Helical piers can be installed to keep it from sinking further into unevenly packed soil. These piers are screw-like steel rods that can be inserted beneath pre-existing walls. Underpinning can help support your garage columns and lift them back up to their previous position. These piers can also support the rest of your garage to keep any other portions from sinking in uneven soil.
Resistance piers may also be used, depending on the severity of your specific situation. Both helical and resistance piers can be installed in any weather conditions and provide lifelong support for your walls. The loads can be transferred immediately after installation. Atlas Piers only uses high quality ECP piers, ensuring a dependable repair job.
Whatever solution is necessary, Atlas Piers of Atlanta is available to help repair your garage column cracks in Atlanta and the surrounding areas. We are trained professionals ready to help with whatever foundation problems might come your way. Simply contact us today for a free estimate.
