Foundation Repair Michigan - By: Brooke Matt

Retaining wall & Foundation Repair Michigan

Retaining walls are usually designed and built to transform a sloped area into a more functional level area. When a retaining wall is in good condition, it enhances property value, showing off good craftsmanship as well as thoughtful site planning.

When a retaining wall develops structural problems, what once was an asset to property value becomes a liability. A retaining wall that's cracked, tilting or otherwise damaged not only looks bad, but also poses a potential safety hazard. Fortunately, foundation repair contractors have specialized tools and techniques for repairing damaged retaining walls.

Retaining wall damage can take several forms

The damage that can occur to a retaining wall depends largely on the materials and techniques used to build the wall. A retaining wall made from wood railroad ties start to fail when the wood deteriorates because of rot. A poured concrete retaining wall can crack and then tilt or bow away from the slope because of pressure from the soil. Similar damage occurs to retaining walls made from standard concrete block, except that cracks often occur in the mortar joints that separate individual blocks. Dry-laid masonry retaining walls made from interlocking blocks start to fail as individual blocks shift or fall out of place.

Call a Michigan foundation repair expert to fix damaged retaining walls

Retaining wall problems should always be addressed as soon as possible for two reasons. First of all, once a problem develops, it will only worsen over time, usually becoming more expensive to correct. Secondly, a weakened retaining wall can pose a safety problem, since complete failure of a wall can release tons of soil onto the flat area utilized by people, cars and pets.

Expert repairs to damaged retaining walls in Michigan

Many people don't realize that the contractor to call about a retaining wall problem is a foundation repair specialist. Retaining walls resemble foundation walls, and damage typically occurs because of the same factors: pressure from expansive or wet soil, improper drainage, soil erosion or settlement, and construction defects. Retaining walls can also fail because the root systems of trees and shrubs disrupt joints between blocks, landscape ties or stones.

Sometimes a failed retaining wall can only be repaired by dismantling the wall (or at least the damaged section) and reconstructing it. But an experienced foundation repair contractor may be able to avoid this costly work using specialized wall anchors and the same repair techniques that correct bowing, cracking and tilting foundation walls.

The wall anchor repair technique involves driving or anchoring strong steel rods or anchors through a tilting or cracked retaining wall and into the soil behind the wall. Then the contractor uses the anchors or rods (along with steel clamping plates and oversized nuts) to exert clamping pressure against the wall, pulling it back into its original position.

The wall anchor repair technique is an effective way to fix many retaining wall problems without resorting to more extensive destruction and reconstruction strategies.

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Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Brooke-Matt/208225

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