Property Owner’s Guide on Helical Piers Installation
Helical piers installation is a modern, highly effective solution for stabilizing foundations in areas with challenging soil conditions or heavy load requirements. With decades of experience serving Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, Piers and Piles is dedicated to ensuring your foundation is secure and built to last. We specialize in offering tailored solutions that address New York’s unique soil challenges while providing 30-year warranties for long-term peace of mind.
Whether you’re researching helical piers for a local project or a national construction need, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about helical piers installation and how it can protect your property’s foundation.
Secure Your Foundation with the Experts—Contact Piers and Piles Today for a Free Consultation and Learn More About Our Industry-Leading 30-Year Warranties!
What Are Helical Piers
Helical piers are strong, galvanized steel shafts with screw-like helices designed to stabilize foundations. They’re installed deep into the ground using hydraulic equipment, anchoring into stable soil or bedrock to support the structure.
These steel piers work by transferring the building’s load from weak surface soil to solid ground below, preventing settlement and shifting that naturally occurs when exposed to weather, groundwater, and freeze-thaw cycles. Their design allows for quick, efficient installation with minimal disruption to the surrounding environment, making them ideal for both residential and commercial projects.
Helical piers are especially useful in areas with unstable soils like clay, sand, or expansive ground. Their durable steel construction ensures long-term support, providing a cost-effective solution for foundation stabilization.
Benefits of Helical Piers Installation
Helical piers installation provides excellent support in areas with weak or coastal soils, like Long Island. Anchoring deep into stable ground, they ensure foundations are secure, regardless of surface soil shifts or erosion. If helical piers had been more widely used back when New York was being built, we wouldn’t have 261,313 properties in New York at risk with the next big flood.
Below are some of the top benefits of choosing helical piers for your foundation:
- Immediate Load-Bearing Capacity
- Ideal For Weak Or Expansive Soils
- Minimal Disruption And Excavation
- Suitable For Both Residential And Commercial Properties
- Cost-Effective And Long-Lasting
- Resistant To Seasonal Ground Shifts
- Faster Installation Compared To Traditional Methods
- 30-Year Warranties For Guaranteed Durability
Applications of Helical Piers
Helical piers are highly adaptable for addressing various foundation challenges, making them ideal for stabilizing structures for the long term. Whether it’s repairing or avoiding foundation settlement, performing critical foundation repairs, or ensuring long-term stability, helical piers provide the deep anchorage needed to prevent structural damage. Their versatility allows for effective installation in even the most difficult conditions, offering a reliable solution for a wide range of foundation needs.
Here are the key applications where helical piers excel:
Foundation Settlement
Stabilizes sinking structures by anchoring into stable soil layers to prevent future settlement.
Foundation Repair
Restores stability to foundations that have cracked or shifted due to poor soil conditions.
New Construction
Helical piers for new construction provides a stable base for structures built on weak, expansive, or eroding soils, ensuring long-term durability.
Slope Stabilization
Prevents soil movement and foundation slippage on properties with steep or unstable slopes.
Retaining Walls
Helical piers for retaining walls reinforce retaining walls to withstand lateral earth pressure and prevent leaning or collapse.
Waterfront Properties
Protects against soil erosion and shifting, common in coastal areas like Long Island, ensuring stable foundations.
Underpinning Existing Foundations
Helical piers for underpinning adds stability to older or compromised foundations without the need for extensive excavation.
Decks and Building Extensions
Helical piers for decks offers solid support for exterior structures, even on weak or uneven terrain.
Seismic Regions
Helical piers are an effective solution for various foundation problems, offering immediate support and long-term protection for structures on challenging ground.
The Helical Piers Installation Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
When it comes to ensuring long-lasting foundation stability, a precise and professional installation process is crucial. At Piers and Piles, we follow a meticulous, engineered approach to ensure that your foundation is supported by properly installed helical piers, minimizing disruption while maximizing results.
Here’s how we ensure your property is safeguarded against future settlement and foundation issues:
Site Evaluation and Soil Testing
Our certified experts conduct a thorough site evaluation and perform soil testing to assess the specific needs of your foundation. This critical step ensures we understand the soil composition, moisture levels, and any underlying conditions that may affect the integrity of your foundation.
Strategic Pier Placement and Excavation
Once the site evaluation is complete, our team determines the precise locations for each pier based on your structure’s load distribution and the soil conditions. Minimal excavation is required at each pier site, ensuring little disruption to your landscaping and property.
Helical Piers Installation
The installation of the helical piers begins with the use of advanced hydraulic machinery designed to drive the steel shafts deep into the ground. We continuously monitor the torque resistance as each pier is installed, ensuring that we reach the required load-bearing strata, providing immediate structural stability.
Installing High-Strength Brackets
Once the helical piers are properly positioned, our team attaches high-strength steel brackets to connect the piers directly to the foundation footing, providing a solid, reliable connection, transferring the building’s weight evenly across all installed piers.
Load Testing to Ensure Optimal Performance
After installation, we conduct load testing to verify that each pier can withstand the required weight of your structure. This process confirms that the foundation is secure and capable of handling the load without any risk of future movement.
Lifting the Structure and Final Adjustments
With the piers and brackets securely in place, we begin the lifting process, carefully and precisely elevating any areas of the foundation that have sunk. Using specialized hydraulic lifting devices, we gradually raise the foundation to its original level, often closing cracks and restoring the functionality of doors and windows in the process.
Backfilling and Site Cleanup
Once the foundation is lifted and stabilized, we carefully backfill the excavated areas, restoring your landscape to its original condition. We ensure that all work areas are cleaned up, leaving no trace of our installation aside from your stabilized and secure foundation.
Don’t wait until foundation issues worsen—trust our certified team to provide a long-lasting solution that safeguards your home. Contact Piers and Piles for a free consultation now and protect your property for decades to come!
Secure Your Property With Expert Helical Piers Installation Today!
Helical Piers vs. Other Foundation Solutions
While helical piers are an exceptional choice for many projects, comparing them to other foundation solutions helps property owners make informed decisions. Helical piers stand out for their adaptability to various soil conditions, quick installation, and immediate load-bearing capacity, but other solutions might be better suited for specific scenarios.
- Push Piers vs. Helical Piers
Push piers are hydraulically driven into the ground until they reach load-bearing soil or bedrock, much like helical piers. However, push piers rely on the weight of the structure for installation, making them more suited for heavier buildings. In contrast, helical piers can be installed without relying on the building’s weight, making them ideal for lighter structures or in areas with weaker soils. - Drilled Shafts (Caissons) vs. Helical Piers
Drilled shafts, or caissons, are large, cast-in-place concrete foundations used for extremely heavy structures like bridges or skyscrapers. While they provide strong support, they are time-consuming and require significant excavation. Helical piers offer a more efficient solution for residential and mid-sized commercial projects, particularly where minimal disruption and quick installation are critical. - Concrete Piers vs. Helical Piers
Concrete piers are a traditional foundation solution but require longer curing times and extensive excavation. They are also susceptible to shifting in freeze-thaw cycles or unstable soil conditions. Helical piers, with their screw-like design and corrosion-resistant steel, provide better stability in challenging environments and can be installed in a fraction of the time.
In challenging soil conditions and areas with time-sensitive projects, helical piers outperform other foundation solutions in terms of adaptability, speed, and long-term reliability.
How Much Does Helical Piers Installation Cost?
The cost of helical piers installation can vary depending on several factors. Here are the key elements that influence pricing:
- Project Size: Larger structures require more piers, increasing the overall cost.
- Soil Conditions: Challenging soils may need deeper or additional piers, impacting pricing.
- Depth of Installation: The deeper the piers need to go, the more labor and equipment are involved.
- Load Requirements: Heavier structures may need more robust piers, affecting material costs.
- Site Accessibility: Hard-to-reach areas or restricted spaces may require specialized equipment, increasing labor costs.
For a tailored estimate, it’s best to consult with a professional. If you’re in the Nassau or Suffolk County areas of New York, reach out to Piers and Piles any time for a free assessment and tailored quote.
Why Choose Piers and Piles for Helical Piers Installation?
Piers and Piles offers unmatched expertise in helical piers installation, backed by years of experience and local knowledge.
Here’s why we stand out:
- Certified Installers: Our team is highly trained and certified, ensuring precise and reliable installations every time.
- Advanced Equipment: We use state-of-the-art tools for efficient, minimally invasive installation with maximum results.
- Local Expertise: We understand the unique soil challenges in Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, offering tailored solutions.
- Industry-Leading Warranties: We provide long-term protection for your investment with comprehensive warranties on all installations.
- Proven Track Record: Decades of successful projects guarantee your foundation is in the best possible hands.
Secure Your Foundation with Precision Helical Piers Installation Today!
Helical piers installation is one of the most reliable, adaptable foundation solutions available for properties facing unstable soil conditions, foundation settlement, or challenging environments. Whether you’re addressing existing foundation issues or planning new construction, helical piers provide the deep anchorage necessary for long-term stability.
With over 20 years experience in foundation support, Piers and Piles offers certified installers, local knowledge, and industry-leading 30-year warranties, ensuring your foundation stays secure for decades to come.
Foundation Issues? Contact Us Today for a Free Helical Piers Installation Consultation!
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