19 Dec The Hidden Dangers of Poor Drainage: Why Piling Solutions Matter
Poor drainage is much worse than just an inconvenience. It can cause subsidence, compromising your home’s foundations and causing serious structural damage. If it’s not fixed, the expense could be considerable — and, even if it’s covered by your insurance, it will cost you in the long term through higher premiums.
It’s sometimes enough to fix a faulty drainage system, but some issues are more complex. Where solving the immediate problem isn’t possible, the answer may be to strengthen the foundations, and the best way of doing that is to use piling solutions.
The Dangers of Poor Drainage
Poor drainage can be caused by straightforward issues like blocked drains or broken guttering. In these cases, it’s usually sufficient to repair the drains, but if the problem has been left for some time, leaking water may have washed the fines out of the soil.
More generally, though, the soil your home is built on may prevent water from draining correctly, and this can cause damage. Clay-rich soils, for example, will tend to expand when they become saturated and then contract again as they dry off, leading to cracking.
Sandy or silty soil, on the other hand, becomes weaker when it’s wet, reducing its ability to bear the load of the building. All these issues can result in subsidence. The most obvious signs this is happening are cracks appearing in the walls or door and window frames pulling away from the wall. Ultimately, though, subsidence can cause severe structural damage.
Piling Solutions
Many drainage problems can be solved by repairing the drains, or else, in more persistent cases, by installing drainage solutions such as French drains. However, if the subsoil is unsuitable or has been seriously damaged, your home’s foundations may need to be strengthened, and the best way of doing this is by using piling solutions.
Piling works by driving or boring concrete or steel-cased columns down to a firmer layer of subsoil, up to five metres down. This transfers the load of the entire building down to this stronger level, stabilising it against the subsidence.
Mini-piling, which is normally sufficient for a domestic structure, has the advantage that the machinery involved is relatively small. This means not only that it can access restricted spaces, but also that it doesn’t create too much vibration and noise — important in a built-up area.
What Piling Solutions Are Available?
There are essentially two types of piling — driven piles and bored or drilled piles. There are variations of both, but they all fall generally in one or the other category.
With driven piles, a hollow drill pushes directly down, displacing the soil and supporting the sides of the hole. The concrete or grout that forms the pile is then injected as the drill is withdrawn.
A bored or drilled pile, on the other hand, is where a hole is created, which needs to be supported by a metal casing. The concrete or grout is then poured in, and the casing pulled out.
Both methods have advantages, and the ideal choice will depend on the particular nature and needs of the situation. An experienced, specialist piling firm will be able to recommend the best approach for your individual job, as well as having the equipment and expertise available for all choices.
If you’re looking for piling contractors in London, the surrounding areas or South East England, give U&M a call to discuss your needs.