Foundation & Crawl Space Repair in Tallahassee, FL

The majority of Florida is comprised of sandy soil, also referred to as Myakka – the Native American word for “big waters”. Southern Florida soil often contains more limestone due to the limestone bedrock below the surface. Meanwhile, Northern Florida soils in the panhandle contain small amounts of clay.

Both types have advantages and disadvantages. Central and South Florida soils are more susceptible to soil washout due to sandy soil’s loose properties. Northern Florida soils with small deposits of clay may absorb water a bit better, so they can avoid washout easier. However, clay is much more susceptible to shrinking when it becomes dry.

The hot Florida sun can cause North Florida soil to crack and shrink after a storm, potentially causing foundation damage. South Florida soils are less likely to be affected by shrinkage, but it can happen anywhere. Either way, all soil in Florida is sandy at its core. Florida’s regular rain and storms can cause foundation damage, so be aware of the soil in your area and take precautions accordingly.

Alpha Foundations can offer your Orlando home a wide variety of foundation repair solutions such as SettleStop IntelliBrace™ I-beam system. Both can help to stabilize and brace your foundation against future moisture damage despite working in different ways.

Carbon fiber wall straps are mainly used to stabilize your foundation wall against bowing inward. Carbon fiber is actually 10 times stronger than steel. It can brace against the toughest pressure with ease. When applied to your foundation wall with our tough epoxy resin, it becomes that much stronger. Once these straps are firmly secured to your wall, you do not have to worry about any more future repairs.

Our SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system, on the other hand, will actively push back against any bowing damage your foundation may face. Each I-beam is attached to your wall via heavy braces along the top and bottom of each beam. The top braces are then slowly tightened over time to repair your bowed-in foundation wall and protect it from bowing in the future.

Foundations are vulnerable to all kinds of moisture damage. For instance, the soil supporting your Orlando’s foundation is made of loose sandy soils that are susceptible to washout. Even just one large storm can easily wash away sandy soil and cause the foundation to begin sinking. The already loose nature of sandy soil does not help. In fact, loose soil can start even before your home has been built.

Basically, contractors need to dig a large hole in the area where they plan to lay down the concrete slab foundation or crawl space. After each component is secured, there will be some space left around them that the contractors will then backfill in with some of the soil they initially dug up. This leads to the clay bowl effect. When this occurs, the much looser fill soil is far more susceptible to washing out as a result of the contractors’ construction methods.

Another way your foundation becomes damaged is through hydrostatic pressure. Orlando’s consistent rainfall can lead to the soil absorbing far more water than it is realistically capable of holding at once. This can create immense pressure against the foundation and cause it to shift out of its original placement or even crack apart.

Alpha Foundation’s drainage systems are very thorough and will completely waterproof your Tallahassee home from any moisture that tries to seep through. We can offer your home either an interior or an exterior drainage system. As their names imply, these systems are installed along the interior and exterior of your home respectively.

The interior drainage system is installed in the floor and along the walls of your crawl space, which is where most water tends to gather when it floods. The exterior drainage system will be installed along the outside perimeter of your home and will collect any water that gathers out here instead. An interior drainage system will then redirect this water to the sump pump, which in turn will deposit this water out into a nearby storm drain or other drainage trench far away from your home.

An exterior drainage system can benefit your home, as well. Rather than relying on a storm drain far from your home, exterior drains redirect water out onto your lawn. The cap over the drain prevents water from spilling back in and flooding your home. These systems are also guaranteed to never clog. Should any mud, dirt, or other debris flow inside, these drainage systems will then push it out along with any excess water that tries to get into your home.