Restumping A House And What It Involves.
One of the processes of building a foundation involves placing concrete or wooden posts in the soil beneath the foundation. Holes are dug and these posts are placed below the material that is used for the foundation.
With time the soil beneath the foundation settles. When this happens, the posts which are also referred to as stumps, may move. This causes damage to the foundation. It develops cracks and the entire house is at risk of being unstable. Wooden stumps can also rot after being in the soil for a while thus resulting to the need for restumping.
So how is the process done? For wooden posts or stumps, a hole is dug next to the post. This hole is tiny about six inches wide. This will provide room for the contractors to check whether the post has rotted. If this is the case, the foundation is supported by use of machines. The posts are then repaired or replaced if the damage is too much.To know whether the posts have rotted away, the contractor pierces the wood to see if it will give in. If it does, it is an indication that it needs replacement.
For concrete stumps, the signs of damage are harder to spot. If you are careful though, you will see them in the foundation or the windows and door frames. If there is damage to the concrete posts, it is repaired by adding a new layer of concrete on the post to make it stronger.
Naturally, the stumps made from concrete last longer because wood rots quickly especially in wet soils. It is therefore advisable to choose concrete stumps for your foundation. Furthermore, after the restumping, ensure the walls or the foundation itself is not damaged. You can have the contractors check on this.
