The Perma Jack System has realized a 30-year history of national success in stabilizing foundations just like yours! Our record of successful stabilization is built upon a couple of important factors -- the superior performance of the Perma Jack system and the expertise achieved through our many years of quality service. Our advanced design enables Perma Jack piers to reach deeper into soils than most other types of pier systems. The quality and durability of our product combined with the experience and expertise of our installers, a number of whom have been successfully installing our system for over 12 years, ensures the outstanding results our customers have come to expect from Perma Jack.

Generally speaking, the ability of the Perma Jack System to stop your foundation's settlement is limited to the area or areas we stabilize with piers.

The most successful stabilization of your foundation is accomplished by installing Perma Jack piers around the entire perimeter of the foundation, resulting in a complete perimeter support system for your home or building. (Data obtained by the NBS on the corrosion performance of steel piles driven into the ground in a wide variety of soil environments show that the strength and useful life of steel piles are NOT significantly affected by corrosion. [Read More]). Usually, complete perimeter piering is sufficient without the use of interior piers. In some cases however, usually when the foundation's interior beams are too shallow and lack stiffness, the central part of the slab can settle even when the perimeter is sufficiently supported. This settlement is caused by changing moisture levels of the soil. Though this occurs infrequently, it is sometimes necessary to install additional support piers under the central part of the foundation. Note: The means of avoiding this condition is proper homeowner maintenance.

Assuming your slab is noticeably off level, it is our objective to restore your home to as near a level condition as possible without causing significant structural or cosmetic damage. Achieving absolute levelness is not necessarily our goal. It is unlikely that the foundation was truly level when it was first poured. There are Generally Accepted Engineering Standards that allow for a reasonable amount of "off-levelness" in freshly poured slabs (depending on the size of your slab this variance is about 1 to 2 inches). Therefore, we do not make representations relative to our ability to "level" the slab, but rather we attempt to lift the foundation to restore as much elevation as possible without causing damage. Lifting is a common part of our job which we have routinely accomplished without incident. However, there is some risk associated with lifting - there are no warning signals to allow for termination of the lift prior to the occurrence of damage. Possible problems may include damage to your plumbing system resulting in costly plumbing repairs… Something we take all precaution to avoid.

The repair of sheetrock walls and ceilings can be a tricky situation. There is a proper way and several improper ways to repair these materials. When enough settlement has occurred to crack your wallboard, the material has lost all of its structural integrity. All the drywall compound and tape in the world will not make it whole again. The most successful means of repairing these cracks appears to be with the use of "fiberglass" tape and newer "high-strength" wallboard compounds, a number of which are available at places such as Home Depot or quality commercial paint stores. It is generally recommended that you delay the repair of any sheetrock walls for a period of a few months after completion of a "lift" of any significant magnitude. This, however, is not always possible which is why the repair methods you choose, for both piering system and cosmetic repairs is most important.

Even with the presence of piers bearing on rock or other load bearing strata, slight re-cracking of these "repaired" surfaces may occur. This does not necessarily mean that your foundation is settling again, it probably means that excess moisture in the soil is slightly elevating the slab and it will return to its normal position when the soil dries out. Cracking can occur as a result of floor slab upheaval just as it can occur as a result of settling. Remember, no piering system can keep your foundation from "heaving" as a result of expanding soils.
(Find out more about our Soil Injection Services).

If all of this information seems somewhat "negative", that is not our intention. It is Perma Jack's policy to be as straightforward as possible with our customers. It is not our policy to promise you one thing and give you something else (this is the reason that at Perma Jack you deal with an owner, not a commissioned salesperson). At the conclusion of our evaluation of your home or building you will have been given a clear idea of what you should expect.

Thanks for your interest in Perma Jack!

Southern/Austin, Inc., 9514 McNeil Rd., Suite 101, Austin, Texas 78758, Phone: 512-419-1600, Toll-free: 800-840-7989, Fax: 512-973-8679