What Is House Leveling, and How Does It Work?

House leveling is a foundation repair that lifts a house that has settled unevenly back toward level. It is usually done with steel push piers or helical piers that are installed down to firmer soil, connected to the foundation with brackets and then used to raise and support the settled sections.

This article covers why houses become unlevel, how house leveling works and the signs that a house may need it.

Why Do Houses Become Unlevel?

Before we discuss how house leveling works, let’s discuss why a house might become unlevel. The primary cause of an unlevel house is a phenomenon called foundation settlement.

Foundation settlement occurs when the soil below your home shifts or sinks. When this happens, your foundation and the rest of your home will move along with the soil. Following construction, a minor amount of uniform settlement is normal and does not typically cause structural damage.

The other type, differential settlement, involves uneven shifts in the foundation, and it can damage the structure.

When differential settlement happens, it can lead to a range of problems in the home. The next section covers the main ways a house is leveled and stabilized.

How Do You Fix an Unlevel House?

Leveling a House With Push Piers

Installing push piers is one way of leveling a house that has experienced differential settlement. To employ this method, a foundation repair team will use a hydraulic pump to push a set of piers deep into the earth until they reach a firm layer of soil or bedrock.

At the top, the piers attach to the foundation with a bracket, which connects the house to the firmer soil below. Once the connection is made, the crew can lift the house back toward level without causing damage.

Installing push piers can bring a house back toward level and help stabilize the foundation against further settlement in the area where they are installed. How much lift is practical depends on the house and the soil, and the inspector sets expectations first.

Leveling a House With Helical Piers

The second method of leveling a home we’ll describe is similar to the first. The only difference here is the type of piers involved in the house leveling.

Instead of push piers, the inspector may recommend screw shaped helical piers, which are turned into the ground until their plates bear on stable soil.

Like push piers, helical piers attach to the foundation with a bracket. Once the connection is made, the crew can lift the house back toward level and the piers help stabilize it against further settlement.