Masonry, Beam, and Post Pier Repair

If you live in an older home, you have to learn to love your house’s quirks as well as its charms. Many homes built prior to 1960 have pier and beam (otherwise known as “block and base” or “post and beam” foundations) instead of concrete slabs that are common in new construction today.

Pier and beam foundations start with concrete pads first, then concrete blocks and concrete or wood foundation beams. Homes with pier and beam foundations typically have crawl spaces with both ventilation and access panels at the base of the home’s exterior.

Everything from plumbing leaks to high humidity to poor drainage (and a host of other problems) can contribute to stress and structural damage to your home’s masonry and foundation.

Water damage

Pier and beam foundations, usually located within a crawl space in older homes, are particularly prone to damage from high levels of moisture or water under your home. Crawl space support posts, whether made of concrete, metal, or wood, will deteriorate over time in a wet or humid environment, so keeping your foundation dry and sealed is one of the most important things you can do to protect your house from deterioration.

Pests like insects and rodents

The other major culprit of damage to your home’s foundation? Pests. Both termites and rodents can wreak havoc on your structural support, no matter what materials are supporting your home.

Termites, of course, will eat away at wooden support both inside and outside your home, even spreading to the framing throughout your house. Scheduling regular inspections and treatments will help you nip termite damage in the bud.

Rodents and other small mammals like shrews cause damage to your home by digging next to support beams, regardless of the material the support posts are made of. When animals dig around the posts in your crawl space, they’re compromising the integrity of your entire house.

Be on the lookout for the tell-tale signs of structural damage to your home’s brick and mortar as well as its post and beam foundation:

• Cracks in your brick and mortar or in foundational concrete
• “Spalling” or bricks or stone falling out of the wall
• Sagging floors and shifting beams
• Tilting or cracking piers
• Mold or mildew in your crawl space and/or in the beams
• Damp, humid environment in your crawl space
• Sinking foundation
  Bowing walls
• Cracks in walls, ceilings, and seams
• Leaning walls and leaning chimney