Whether your driveway has settled, leaving a lip at the entrance to your garage, or the earth beneath your patio or against your retaining walls has given way, you don’t have to settle for damage caused by settling earth.
The uncomfortable truth is that the ground we build our homes and cottages on is not always as stable as it seems. Within the first few years after a new building project is completed, any loose ground beneath the building can become compacted under the weight of the structure above it.
“This settling process can often lead to cracks and unevenness in basement foundations, concrete walkways, patios, poured boathouses, and even retaining walls,” says Curtis Hinksman, owner of Soundseals Insulation. These cracks aren’t just unsightly, they can also create tripping hazards in walkways. Unlevel foundations can add stress to your home or cottage’s structure, and unsupported retaining walls can lean and eventually collapse.
While these surfaces can be removed and replaced, Soundseals Insulation has found a better solution: releveling the surfaces with Deep Foam Injection polyfoam.
As insulation experts, Soundseals has been using spray foam to insulate homes to make them more comfortable for years. They are also one of the first in the region to use foam for concrete leveling. “We’re proud to continue to train, learn and offer more services to our customers, to keep their cottages strong, insulated and resilient,” says Curtis.
Using specially designed injection tools and polyurethane foam, the team can increase the load bearing capacity of the soil and raising the level of any surface, regardless of the weight. “The lifting foam will fully expand within 10 to 15 seconds, lifting the slab back to its original height,” he says. “Once it cures, the foam hardens like plastic, unmovable and relatively unnoticeable.”
The foam works by following the path of least resistance, filling in any voids. It also can fill any voids holding water, displacing the collected water to reinforce foundations, slabs and structures regardless of how wet the environment is.
This foam is a gamechanger for leaning retaining walls, Curtis notes. It can be injected anywhere, even underwater, and will firm up without issue. Once cured, it also won’t off-gas or leach into the soil or surrounding waterways.
The process involves very little time or mess, notes Andy Hughes, sales representative and certified foam injector, and is a fraction of the cost of replacing a foundation. “We simply drill into the concrete, level it by injecting the foam beneath the concrete until it reaches the right height,” says Andy. “The foam cures within 15 to 30 minutes, so you and your guests can enjoy the area the same day, whether walking on the pathway, splashing in your pool or enjoying your cottage. Contact us for a free estimate and let us level up your proper
TEXT SHELANNE AUGUSTINE
PHOTOS SCOTT TURNBULL
