Kodiak - Warehouse has settled on one side, so injection pipes were driven down under the foundation first to densify and lift.
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COMPACTION GROUTING SERVICE
Densifies soft soils and raises the foundation.
Compaction grouting is a ground improvement method which is used to increase the density of the soil. This method of grouting is usually used to rehabilitate settlement of sensitive structures.
Compaction Grouting and Foundation Repair in
Compaction Grouting is the stabilization of poor soils under buildings, structures, roadbeds, railroads, or runways, by driving injection pipes down to stable ground and then injecting low-mobility grout to densify soft soils and form grout columns. Injection is continued in a pattern to cover all of the target area until the ground, building, or slab is raised back to original elevation, eliminating all voids. The amount of grout injected and pressures at each lift are closely monitored on every hole to adjust for differing soil conditions for quality control.
Foundation repair - Compaction Grouting is an excellent alternative to helical piles in raising foundations for several reasons:
1. With helical piles excavation is needed to get under the foundation far enough to try and drive piles as vertical as possible and then to get jacks underneath with a bracket to lift the foundation. Most foundations are designed to have continuous contact with the ground to be stable.
Compaction grouting injection pipes are driven in from the surface and slightly angled to reach stable soil under the foundation. When the soft soils are densified and stabilized, the ground, along with the building is raised. Injection pipes are removed as injection continues and no backfill is necessary.
2. With helical piles, there is point loading on each pile and as the foundation is jacked up, voids are created between the piles under the foundation. Also, if there is a slab-on-grade attached, voids will be created or increased, putting more stress on the slab. All voids should be grouted and the slab raised in an additional operation to stabilize the rest of the foundation.
Compaction grouting densifies the soft soils and raises the foundation by raising the ground so there are no voids and no point loading. Injection pipes can be angled to reach up to 20' from perimeter walls, depending on soil conditions. In very poor soil conditions interior slabs can also be compaction grouted to stabilize the ground and raise the slabs.
3. With helical piles, there is usually much more time involved due to excavation, inserting piles, jacking foundation, backfilling, and then grouting the voids.
With Compaction grouting we can often drive injection pipes and grout the same day for a typical garage size building.
Our Compaction Grouting Gallery
Kodiak - Angling injection pipes to raise inside office area not accessible from inside.
Kodiak - Pipes driven down 18' to stable ground to densify and lift building.
Kodiak - Densified ground under slab and raised to original elevation.
Healy - Inserting grout pipes in tight quarters to lift building.
Healy - Finishing injection at lowest point, raising close to original elevation as ground lifts.
Palmer - garage settled due to frozen fill with voids to 6" and settlement to 3". After the interior monolithic slab was stabilized and raised, compaction grouting was done also to the perimeter to stabilize.
Palmer - small drill rig used in 8' headroom to insert pipes down to stable ground to densify and lift with low-mobility grout. The large void and initial lift was done with fluid cellular grout first.
Boeke Ice Arena - A large area about 40' in diameter in the center of the rink settled up to 3". Compaction grouting was used with low-mobility grout injected down to 18' to stabilize soft layers and raise the slab. Injection pipes had to be inserted between coolant tubes 3" on center.
Anchorage - Storage buildings built on peat settled up to 12" over many years. Compaction was used to reach 20' under the center footings to densify and raise the long buildings.
Anchorage - Elevation measurements were taken on top of the building so the units did not have to be emptied and be out of service.
Ground Testing - The first step in fixing poor soils underlying problem areas is to drill test holes with a hammer and split spoon sampler to check soil composition and densities down to stable ground.
Ground Testing - The information from sampling is used to determine the correct method and estimate to permanently fix the problem area.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When can spray foam be installed?
spray foam insulation is professionally installed at the same point in the construction cycle as other types of insulation. That is, it should be installed after the rough plumbing, electrical wiring, and heating and air conditioning ducts have been installed, but before the interior walls are completed in new home construction. In some cases spray foam also can be applied in older homes, to the inside of roofs and under floors after construction has been completed.
How does spray foam work?
A two-part mixture is applied by trained applicators to the inside surface of exterior walls, to the underside of the roof, and beneath floors in basements and crawlspaces. The spray mixture expands rapidly to fill all cracks and voids, completely and permanently adhering to wood, masonry, metal studs and joists.
What types of spray foam products are available?
There are two basic types: closed-cell, rigid spray foam and "soft" or semi-flexible open-cell spray foams. See the article Learning the Difference between 1/2-lb and 2-lb Spray Polyurethane Foam for more information.
Which is better, closed or open cell?
When it comes to insulating your project, choosing the right insulation material is pivotal. Both open cell and closed cell spray foam insulations offer unique benefits depending on the application. While open cell foam may offer cost savings and better sound absorption, closed cell foam provides superior moisture resistance and structural support.
Ultimately, the decision between the two depends on your specific priorities, budget, and what application the foam is being used in.
You can read more about their differences here and our experts can help you navigate these factors and ensure the best choice for an efficiently insulated and durable structure.
How does closed-cell spray foam provide moisture protection, yet still breathe?
Unlike cellulose and fiberglass materials, closed-cell foam is impervious to water absorption and wicking. Yet, like Gortex® fabric, the closed-cell structure allows the passage of water vapor (high energy particles) to allow your home envelope to "breathe".
Liquid water has much larger particles and is unable to pass into or through a closed-cell foam barrier.
What innovative energy saving techniques does spray polyurethane foam allow?
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You won't need house wrap with our system.
The air and moisture sealing effects of the spray polyurethane insulation are far superior to what house wraps can do. Don't waste your money on house wrap if you are insulating with spray polyurethane. -
You can encapsulate your entire exterior house shell with spray polyurethane.
This reduces energy loss from recessed lights and drop ceilings while minimizing any chance of frozen pipes in colder climates. In effect, this creates conditioned space everywhere including attics, basements, and crawlspaces. When ductwork is run through these areas, it is kept within conditioned space, substantially increasing the energy efficiency of your home. -
Spray polyurethane insulation will conform to any size or shape cavity.
Bay windows, oval windows, angled walls, sloped ceilings, or any other unusual framing designs can be well insulated and tightly sealed the same as the uniform spaced stud walls.
Several:
How does the polyurethane insulation seal my house?
Our spray polyurethane insulation is sprayed on as a liquid which reacts and expands in place. This expansion action also seals all of the cracks and crevasses in your wall's exterior sheathing. The result is that air can no longer slip in: your house will be less drafty and more comfortable.
Air leakage can also introduce moisture into the wall cavity, resulting in wet insulation and mold and mildew. With the sealing effects of our spray polyurethane insulation, this will not be a concern.
Won't sealing my house lead to indoor air quality problems?
Most house design professionals will advise you to seal the house structure as tight as possible and provide the necessary ventilation through the heating and air conditioning system.
Many systems employ an "air exchanger" which is designed to pre-condition (either warm or cool) the incoming outside air with the outgoing exhaust air.
In this manner, you can build an extremely energy efficient exterior shell using spray polyurethane foam while still providing controlled and energy efficient ventilation.
Is spray polyurethane insulation code approved?
Yes. Building codes provide for the use of spray polyurethane insulation in the Foam Plastic section. This section of the code also describes the use of thermal barriers.
At what point in the construction of my house should spray polyurethane insulation be applied?
Normally spray polyurethane insulation is installed at the same point in the construction cycle as other types of insulation. That is, it should be installed after the rough plumbing, electrical wiring, and heating and air conditioning ducts have been installed.
If you decide to seal the entire exterior house shell with spray polyurethane, spray insulation may need to be applied in some areas before the ductwork is installed.
Can I use spray polyurethane to insulate an existing home?
Yes. A popular retro-fit use for spray foam insulation calls for applying it to your basement / crawlspace walls and rim joist to massively increase your energy savings.
Another area is attics that need upgrades - baffles are installed and foam is sprayed directly to the underside of roofing system, or to knee walls in the attic area that are prone to leaking air. This can replace the conventional blown in insulation used in the ceilings in some scenarios, but not all.
One technology on the market is Injection Foam; injection foam is used to fill existing walls by drilling small holes and injecting the foam from the outside of the structure. After exhaustive research, we have determined the foam type necessary for this isn't up to our standards, so don't offer this service (it is formaldehyde based and offers very poor R-values). We have found the best time to upgrade to spray foam is when the wall cavity will already be exposed during a remodel.
How does spray polyurethane insulation compare with glass fiber batts and blown-in cellulose?
- Glass fiber batts will not stop air leakage (it might filter out some dirt and dust).
- Blown-in cellulose will slow down air leakage.
- Spray polyurethane insulation will fully stop air leakage.
- Glass fiber batts have an R-value of about 3.5 (1-inch thickness).
- Blown-in cellulose has an R-value of about 3 to 4 (1-inch thickness).
- Spray applied polyurethane insulation has an R-value of 6.5 to 7 (1-inch thickness).
- Glass fiber batts can sag over time.
- Blown-in cellulose can settle over time.
- Spray polyurethane insulation completely adheres to wood and sheathing and is rigid; the result is a permanent barrier to heat loss and air entry.
- Spray polyurethane insulation will add strength and rigidity to your house. Glass fiber batts and blown-in cellulose will not.
Air Leakage:
R-value:
Lasting Ability:
Will I save money if I insulate with spray polyurethane insulation?
Yes! The installed cost of spray polyurethane is somewhat higher than traditional fiber batts or blown-in cellulose. However, the higher initial cost is partially offset because you need not ventilate the roof, the HVAC system is downsized and you will save in your heating fuel and electric bills.
Studies suggest that homes insulated with spray polyurethane use 35 to 60 % less energy than homes insulated with conventional insulation. Your savings may be greater or less depending on your life style, appliances, house site, number and size of windows, etc.
Will spray polyurethane insulation lose R-value over time?
When first installed, spray polyurethane foam's R-value is about 10 for a one-inch thickness.
Over time, the R-value drops to between 6.5 and 7.0 (one inch) and stabilizes at that value. The time it takes to reach an R-value of 6.5 to 7.0 depends on a variety of factors, including total foam thickness.
We report a six-month aged R-value. Many industry studies indicate that a one-inch thick sample of foam will stabilize after six months and maintain that approximate R-value for decades.
Can spray polyurethane insulation be applied directly to electrical wiring? What about installed electrical devices like recessed lights?
Spray polyurethane can be applied directly to electrical wiring. Recessed lights or other fixtures may require a certain amount of air circulation around them for cooling purposes.
In these cases, a box can be build around the fixture with gypsum wall board; then spray foam can be sprayed directly to the outside of the box.
Will spray polyurethane insulation deteriorate over time?
Not that we're aware of. We've looked at 20-year old spray foam projects and we have not observed any signs of deterioration. We expect our spray polyurethane insulation system to insulate and seal your home for the life of the house.
How long has spray polyurethane been used to insulate houses?
Spray polyurethane foam was commercially developed in the United States in the mid-1960's. Homes have been insulated with spray foam since that time.
Will spray polyurethane insulation absorb or entrap moisture?
Most moisture problems in houses are due to moisture entry from air leakage. Because spray polyurethane insulation provides such an excellent air barrier, this source of moisture is virtually eliminated.
Other potential sources of moisture can be excluded with proper construction techniques and materials. Unusual building use (such as freezers or swimming pool buildings) may require a vapor retarder.
Does spray polyurethane foam contain formaldehyde?
No.
What equipment do I need to apply spray polyurethane insulation?
Required equipment elements include a plural component proportioner pump with heaters, dual high pressure heated hoses, high pressure mixing and spray gun, and feed pumps and hoses. In addition, an air compressor and electrical generator may be needed.
Can a homeowner apply spray polyurethane insulation?
Not practically. Spray polyurethane application requires complex equipment and a skilled installer.
Will spray polyurethane insulation strengthen my house?
Yes! Our closed cell foam is rigid and structural. Your walls will be more resistant to winds and you'll notice less creaking and shaking when doors are slammed or when the kids are romping about.
How long does it take to install spray polyurethane insulation?
Quite quickly. A typical 2000 sf house can be fully prepped and insulated with spray polyurethane in less than several days. Large houses or houses with complex design features could take longer.
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