Helical Pier Installation in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Though foundations are designed to support a structure for many years, external factors can sometimes cause premature damage to your foundation. This can leave your home or commercial space without the proper support, which can be dangerous. Numerous methods can be used to fix your foundation, and Accurate Foundation Repair has experience in many of them. One of the solutions we use to repair foundations in Fort Worth, TX, is helical piers. This solution works in any soil type, as we can adapt it based on the soil conditions. If you’d like to learn more about this repair option, please contact us today.

What is a Helical Pier?

Helical piers are long, cylindrical support staffs made from steel. At the end of the shafts are round, curved steel plates, called helixes, which are angled to allow them to penetrate the ground when rotated. Essentially, these piers use the same concept as screws, and with every rotation, they are “screwed” into the soil. Helical piers are installed vertically under the structure to lift and stabilize sagging foundations. Originally designed using a wooden shaft with an iron helix for lighthouse foundations, helical piers have been used for foundation stabilization since the early 1800s. Over the years, their design has been refined and updated to be effective in multiple applications.

The Installation Process of a Helical Pier

Installing a helical pier is a relatively simple process, and when done by professionals like Accurate Foundation Repair, we can complete it quickly. With our many years of experience, we have the process perfected and know how to change course should an unexpected issue arise. We've put together a short overview of our process to give you a better idea of the work we’ll provide at your site. Our helical piers installation procedure will follow these basic steps:

Site Preparation

Though there will be minimal disruption to your yard, we will have to excavate the area directly surrounding the foundation to expose the foundation's footings. We’ll complete this step carefully to minimize the effects on your landscaping.
Stabilize the Foundation

With all of the piers in place and attached to the foundation, the sinking or shifting of your foundation will be halted. We can also determine if the foundation should be lifted back to its original position or left where it has settled. We’ll go over your options and help you decide what is best.
Drilling of Piers

Next, the piers will be drilled into place using portable drilling machinery. We rotate the piers using special machinery until we reach the load-bearing strata. This will be different for every location, so extension shafts are added to the pier until long enough to get the strata. The helix plates on the shaft create an axial thrust during drilling that allows the pier to be screwed into the ground, much like a screw into wood. This creates minimal disruption to the surrounding soil.
Connection of Pier to Foundation

Once we have successfully drilled all piers to the appropriate depth, we will install a bracket to connect the foundation wall to the supportive pier. This will help place some of the structure's load onto the new helical piers.

How Helical Piers Support Your Foundation

Foundations use the stability of the load-bearing strata to support a structure. The load-bearing strata, also known as bedrock, is the soil deep beneath the surface that can bear significant weight without shifting. Helical piers are used to repair foundations where the load-bearing strata are not easily accessible. The pier can be placed into the ground at the surface level and then reaches the load-bearing strata by being rotated. With every turn, the pier penetrates deeper. Once the load-bearing strata are reached, a bracket is used to attach the pier to the foundation wall. The pier can then provide stabilization and support to foundations that have settled, heaved, or cannot perform as designed.

Helical Piers Provide Many Advantages

Every foundation problem has its unique characteristics that will help determine the best way to fix it. Though the helical pier method does not work for every situation, it is an excellent choice in many instances. The team at Accurate Foundation Repair will help you determine if a helical pier system is a right method for your Fort Worth, TX home. This repair method had many advantages, including:

Able to reach superior depths when compared to other pier or piling technologies
Effective at stabilizing foundations in a variety of soil conditions for both residential and commercial structures
Able to be completed even in tight locations or other challenging environments
Minimal disturbance to the worksite and surrounding area
Quick installation times, often taking less than a day

Trust Our Foundation Experts

If you are currently looking for foundation contractors in the Fort Worth area because you have foundation damage, we encourage you to call our team of experts. We have many years of experience in various repair methods and understand the many different types of Texas soil. This knowledge can help us determine the appropriate repair method to produce effective results. If helical foundation repair is not the best option, we will suggest another option. Please reach out to us today to schedule a visit to your home or business.