Notes

Pier and Beam Foundation Problems: More Than Meets the Eye

Problems linked to pier and beam foundations can be very tough to pin-point as foundation problems since there are lots of things happening with pier and beam foundations that would normally not within a standard slab on grade foundation, including the actual sagging in the beams between the piers, or lateral movement in the piers, or uneven loading of the piers (which is a type of foundation failure).

So not simply may a pier and beam foundation be subject exactly the same problems that a regular concrete slab on grade foundation might be be subject to, but a pier and beam foundation could have additional conditions could possibly have next to nothing to do with the soil supporting the piers. Let's briefly talk over some of these non-soil related problems.

One in the main conditions you could have with a pier and beam foundation has regarding either deterioration (rotting) in the beams spanning between piers (if using wood beams) or excessive deflections (sagging with the beams). As wood beams get older, they tend to disintegrate since they're not properly protected through the environment. As the years go by, the beams begin to increasingly sag, meaning that everything that those beams are supporting will likely sag. A wall being backed up by these beams begins cracking, giving the illusion that you have a foundation problem. A structural Engineer would usually be able to show you if it is a problem

Another very common condition for pier and beam foundations is the lateral movement of the piers. In many instances a floor with a pier and beam foundation is several feet out in the ground, we've even seen houses about craigs list 4ft away from the ground. As you can imagine, if the wind pressure pushes contrary to the house these wind forces have to be somehow transferred to the ground this means the top of such piers work as flag poles, swaying forwards and backwards with all the wind. It may stop noticeable to the human eye, but the little movement is enough to develop some cracks inside the walls, supplying you with again the illusion that you have a foundation problem. Once again, a qualified Structural Engineer would have the ability to determine if this sounds like a problem.

Uneven pier loading is an additional prevalent problem for pier and beam foundations. This is usually a problem while using design of the foundation because it relates to knowing where you should position the piers. Heavily loaded areas (like load bearing walls) and lightly loaded areas (like inside the middle in the family room) could settle differentially from each other if the design wasn't done efficiently from the beginning; that is, the piers on the heavy loaded may "sink" further than the piers within the lightly loaded areas when the piers were not properly engineered. This differential movement causes cracks within the floors (if using brittle finishes) as well as cracks inside the wall. This is a foundation problem, but this is hard to verify it because it could easily be confused with soil movement due to the soil moisture changing. Your best bet is to get a Structural Engineer to assess the problem.

We have gone through just a couple instances of conditions that you may face having a pier and beam foundation, and as you will see, don't assume all problems have related to the muse. It is a lot more than meets the eye. The moral on this story is, even though the thing is a crack that doesn't mean there is a foundation problem, of course, if you want a genuine and unbiased opinion then get a Structural Engineer that doesn't help a foundation repair company.

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