8 Foundation Stabilization Methods to Protect Your Home

Is your foundation sinking or showing signs of damage? Many early warning signs go unnoticed until costly repairs are needed. Foundation stabilization restores structural integrity and ensures long-term protection for your Charlotte, NC, home.

This page explains the eight foundation repair methods that stabilize and strengthen your home when it’s needed most. Let’s get started.

Push piers stabilize foundations, preventing further settling and cracks. The best results often lift structures back to their original position. 

How it Works: Push Piers (a series of steel tube sections) are pushed into the ground with a hydraulic ram to reach a load-bearing stratum. Then, they are anchored to the structure, and the weight of your home becomes the resistance mass needed to push against the piers. This resistance will keep the piers in place and create stability, lift, and leveling for your home’s foundation. 

Helical piers permanently stabilize your home’s foundation by anchoring deep into stable soil layers, preventing further settlement. In many cases, they also lift sunken foundations, restoring structural integrity.

How it Works: Helical piers screw into high-density soil stratum, steel brackets are then fitted, and the weight of your home is transferred to the pier. They can be used for new construction and to repair existing foundations, including decks, porches, and commercial buildings.

Slab piers are explicitly designed for concrete slab foundations. They stabilize sinking slab foundations by transferring the structure’s weight to more reliable soil. This process significantly reduces future settlement.

How it Works: Slab pier installation involves removing flooring, drilling deep into the slab footing, and positioning a bracket. The piers are extended into the ground, monitored, and capped. The home’s weight is transferred onto the slab pier for support. The holes are then cemented and smoothed for aesthetics.

The IntelliJack crawl space jack system offers foundation stabilization by strengthening existing crawl space beams and floor joists and strengthening problematic soil. IntelliJacks is the best solution for lifting uneven or sinking floors above the crawlspace.

How it Works: A solid base of engineered filling assists weak foundation soil by transferring the home’s weight to a high-density stratum. Then, IntelliJack columns (heavy-duty steel) are cut to size and securely fitted between the solid base and the beams or joists in the crawl space.

CMU (concrete masonry unit) piers are concrete blocks used for foundation repair in certain situations. While they offer reliable load-bearing capacity, their use is often best for localized support, like porches or patios, rather than major foundation settlement. CMU piers are more labor-intensive than some methods and are susceptible to damage from soil movement. 

How it Works: CMU piers consist of stacked concrete blocks on a reinforced footing. Proper engineering design and soil conditions are essential for installation success. A professional inspection is critical for determining whether CMU piers are the right choice for your home.

IntelliBrace provides foundation wall stabilization. While there’s no guarantee, the patented wall repair method allows tightening adjustments over time and potentially returns foundation walls to their original and upright position. The degree of straightening depends on several factors, like the extent of damage. IntelliBrace is an excellent solution for bowing, cracked, or leaning foundation walls.

How it Works: Vertical steel I-beams are tailored to fit the basement wall and then secured tightly to the wall using brackets anchored to the floor or floor joists. The system uses a mechanism that allows beam tightening against the wall, which may straighten the wall over time. It is an effective foundation wall stabilization method in many circumstances.

The carbon fiber wall repair system is one of the foundation stabilization methods for repairing cracked or bowing block foundation walls. It is one of the most robust and relatively non-invasive foundation wall stabilization methods.

How it Works: The carbon fiber system uses fiber-reinforced polymer straps ten times stronger than steel yet flexible enough to contour tightly against basement walls. Installation involves brackets to bind and secure the carbon fiber straps to the basement floor joists. Carbon fiber straps are an effective foundation stabilization method that helps prevent further wall deterioration.

The wall anchoring system is a foundation stabilization and repair method for poured concrete or block walls. This system counteracts the lateral pressure exerted by the soil against the foundation walls. Wall anchors help prevent further bowing or leaning.

How it Works: The wall anchor system uses high-strength steel brackets attached to the interior wall, serving as a connection point for the anchor rods. Holes are drilled through the wall, where steel rods are inserted and extended outward and away from the foundation. Anchor plates are then inserted into the soil, and anchor rods are then connected to these buried plates. The anchor rods are then tightened, pulling the foundation wall towards the anchor plates. The tension counteracts the soil pressure and stabilizes the wall.

• Foundation wall and floor cracks
• Sinking foundation
• Misaligned doors and windows 
• Drywall cracks and nail pops

• Floor gaps 
• Uneven floors
• Cracked chimney
• Cracked bricks

Recognizing foundation issues is the first step in protecting your home or commercial building. If you’re in Charlotte or the surrounding North Carolina area, contact Dry Pro Foundation and Crawlspace Specialists for a free inspection. Our experts tailor foundation stabilization and repair solutions to fit your needs and budget. Learn more about the best foundation stabilization methods for your home today.