Posted on 17 August 2021
After our team of experts have repaired and restored your home to its full value, there are a few things you need to watch for in order to maximize the reliability of the work. You learned some tips in our previous article. Here are some more to help you.
6. Brick repairs following shoring
When executing foundation replacement work, the brick may be temporarily supported by various types of metal, wood or cement.
TIP: Have the masonry work carried out as quickly as possible by a professional mason in order to prevent the temporary supports from failing and to restore the drainage of the masonry (due to weeping).
7. Above-ground cracks in foundations
The repair of above-ground cracks is completed with high quality materials. However, it is possible that after time the material will wear out, crack, break down or deteriorate.
TIP: Avoid painting repaired cracks, as the paint can accelerate cement deterioration. Héneault-Gosselin offers a five-year warranty on the repair of above-ground cracks.
8. Cold joints or collection joints between concrete pours
During underpinning work, concrete pouring generally has to be done in a few steps. The joint between the castings called the cold joint is designed to be protected against water infiltration.
TIP: The cement worker who installs the plaster must pay particular attention to cold joints to prevent the plaster from cracking.
9. The renewal of the levels
Following the underpinning pile work, a land surveyor comes to install the micro geodesy reference points. These points anchored in the brick or in the foundation are commonly referred to as “PK nails” and their levels are compiled and noted in the level certificate which you received with your warranty.
TIP: The PK nails should not be covered, hidden or removed. If they are, no one will be able to keep track of the building levels. In addition, the renewal of the levels is not automatic. An online after sales service form on our website must be completed and submitted. Level re-entry fees will apply.
10. Winter and the cold
Our winters are cold, sometimes even very, very cold! Frost often penetrates very deep into the ground when snow cover is poor.
TIP: When our work requires building a new foundation, we recommend that you insulate your basement well before winter.
If your building or annex is not inhabited all year round (chalet, mobile home, garage) you must keep a minimum temperature of above five degrees Celsius.
If you have a crawl space, you need to heat and ventilate it year-round. It’s the same for the undersides of mobile homes. For basement entrances, we recommend building a shelter and maintaining a temperature of five degrees Celsius and above surrounding the entrance.
To request an inspection or a diagnosis, to get a quote or to simply find more information, call 1 800 363-1510 or visit our web site. There you will find all of the information on our services, our way of doing things, and our guarantee.