Notes

Pier and Beam Foundation Problems: More Than Meets the Eye
Problems related to pier and beam foundations can be be extremely challenging to pin-point as foundation problems because there are lots of things happening with pier and beam foundations that might normally stop within a normal slab on grade foundation, such as the actual sagging of the beams relating to the piers, or lateral movement from the piers, or uneven loading of the piers (the type of foundation failure).
So not merely may a pier and beam foundation be subject exactly the same conditions a consistent concrete slab on grade foundation could be at the mercy of, but a pier and beam foundation might have additional conditions could possibly have almost nothing related to the soil supporting the piers. Let's briefly talk about some of these non-soil related problems.
One from the main conditions that you could have having a pier and beam foundation has about either deterioration (rotting) in the beams spanning between piers (if using wood beams) or excessive deflections (sagging with the beams). As wood beams mature, they have a tendency to disintegrate because they are not thoroughly protected from the environment. As the years use, the beams start to increasingly sag, which means that precisely what those beams are supporting will likely sag. A wall being sustained by these beams will start cracking, giving the illusion that you've a foundation problem. A structural Engineer would usually manage to show you if this is a problem
Another prevalent problem for pier and beam foundations could be the lateral movement of the piers. In many instances a floor on the pier and beam foundation is several feet out in the ground, we've even seen houses about with over 4ft away through the ground. As it is possible to imagine, in the event the wind pressure pushes contrary to the house these wind forces must be somehow transferred time for the bottom meaning the top of the piers behave as flag poles, swaying forward and backward while using wind. It may not be noticeable for the human eye, however the little movement is sufficient to develop some cracks inside walls, providing you with again the illusion that you have a foundation problem. Once again, a qualified Structural Engineer would be able to determine if it is a problem.
Uneven pier loading is an additional very common condition for pier and beam foundations. contact us is usually a problem with the design with the foundation because it pertains to knowing best places to position the piers. Heavily loaded areas (like load bearing walls) and lightly loaded areas (like inside the middle in the living room) could settle differentially from one another if the design wasn't done properly from your beginning; that is, the piers about the heavy loaded may "sink" more than the piers inside lightly loaded areas if the piers just weren't properly engineered. This differential movement causes cracks inside the floors (if using brittle finishes) in addition to cracks inside wall. This is a foundation problem, but this is hard to verify it as it could be mistaken for soil movement due for the soil moisture changing. Your best bet is a Structural Engineer to gauge the issue.
We have undergone just a few instances of conditions you might face which has a pier and beam foundation, so that as you will see, not every problems have about the building blocks. It is more than you would think. The moral on this story is, just because the thing is that a crack it doesn't mean you've got a foundation problem, of course, if you would like an honest and unbiased opinion then have a Structural Engineer that doesn't work with a basis repair company.
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