How Do I Know If My Basement Needs More Than Mudjacking?

It’s a common misconception among homeowners that mudjacking can resolve problems caused by a settling foundation. Although mudjacking may be an applicable solution for highly specific circumstances, it is not a permanent repair for load-bearing concrete issues. Keeping your home structurally sound and healthy isn’t a suitable application for mudjacking.

Continue reading to learn more from the experts at PierMagic Foundation Specialists, as we determine when mudjacking is an ideal solution, how we’ve transitioned mudjacking to polyjacking to accommodate technological advancements, and alternatively what other concrete foundation repair may be needed.

What Is Mudjacking?

Mudjacking is a process for raising and stabilizing settled concrete slabs. It’s an effective repair method with long-lasting results. You may also have heard this process called slabjacking, concrete lifting, or concrete leveling.

In a traditional mudjacking process, the technician will drill a few small holes into the settling and uneven slabs. Then, the technician will pump a cement slurry through the holes. That slurry fills voids and empty areas in the soil beneath the concrete slab, adding stability and raising it up to its original, level position. Finally, the technician will caulk any cracks and fill the mudjacking holes to complete the repair. After several hours, the slab can handle heavy weight again. This mudjacking process is quite messy if the company does not handle the clean up process as they should.

At PierMagic Foundation Specialists, we prefer the more modernized version of mudjacking, which is polyjacking. Instead of cement slurry, polyjacking uses polyurethane foam that is injected in a tiny hole (5/8”) and expands to fill the crevices and empty spaces beneath your sinking concrete slab. It is injected the same way the cement slurry is, but reaches nearly maximum strength in about 15 minutes. This process is also less invasive and messy.

Mudjacking and Polyjacking Aren’t Always the Best Solution

If you have major foundation problems, mudjacking or polyjacking will not restore the health of your home. The reasoning is that these methods are best used on concrete slabs, and are simply not an applicable and strong enough solution for your home’s footing. Mudjacking and polyjacking would be more of an ideal solution for the concrete around areas like your patio, walkways and sidewalks, driveway, parking lot, front steps, porch, garage floor, pool deck, or non-load-bearing basement floors.

When the damage goes beyond what mudjacking or polyjacking in Kansas City can repair, pouring new concrete may be an applicable solution.  If mudjacking isn’t the right solution for your sinking or settling concrete, the professionals at PierMagic can offer other solutions.

If Mudjacking or Polyjacking Won’t Fix My Foundation, What Will?

The right solution depends on the condition your home’s foundation is in and the symptoms of settling you’re experiencing. A foundation specialist can examine your foundation to determine the right solution for you. Most companies around Kansas City offer free estimates, including PierMagic.

At PierMagic, we offer an extensive list of foundation repair solutions. You can read in-depth about them in our completely free “Ultimate Guide to Foundation Repair.” Some of our most common solutions are:

• Foundation Piering
  Foundation piering is used when the soil under your home’s foundation shrinks away after settlement or evaporation. Foundation piers drive deep below the foundation into the bedrock or other dense, stable material in the earth, to bear the load of the structure. PierMagic’s DynaPier system combines galvanized steel and high-strength concrete, making it one of the strongest piering methods in the industry.
  
  
• Foundation Anchoring and Wall Anchors
  Walls that bow inward do not provide the structural support your house needs. Foundation anchoring, followed by excavating the foundation wall to add drainage flow, will properly support your home’s structure while addressing water-management issues to reduce the pressure on your underground foundation walls. Foundation and wall anchors can include helical tiebacks, I-beams, or deadman anchors.
  
  
• Crack Sealing
  For basements with cracks that let in moisture, two types of crack-sealing solutions may be just the ticket! Epoxy injection is for cracks that require structural repair. Epoxy adds strength to the foundation and serves as a barrier to the outside. Polyurethane resin is formulated for mobile cracks, thanks to its flexibility that moves as the foundation wall expands and contracts. Polyurethane resin can stop leaking cracks within minutes.

Get Professional Polyjacking and Foundation Repair Guidance from PierMagic

To learn whether polyjacking is an ideal solution for your settled and cracked concrete, or to find out which foundation repair solution is best for your home, contact PierMagic for a free thorough examination.

One of our foundation specialists will visit your home and examine the issues to determine the best course of action. After utilizing the proper tools for an assessment, we can provide you with a free estimate for repairs as well as an explanation of which of our foundation repair solutions will be best in your specific circumstances.

All you have to do is fill out the short form on our website, and one of our team members will get back to you quickly. You’ll soon be on your way to solving your settling slab issues and getting foundation solutions from PierMagic, Kansas City’s choice for foundation repair for the last 14 years.