Commercial Foundations Photo Album: SmartJacks for Crawl Space Stabilization

Moisture issues in your crawl space aren’t just an inconvenience—they can severely impact the stability of your home. This homeowner already knew their floors were unstable and had tried concrete piers to solve the problem. But when that “fix” started failing, they called Frontier for a permanent solution. Let’s walk through their crawl space transformation and see how our SmartJack system provided long-lasting stability.

Improper Stabilization

When we arrived, we found concrete piers stacked on cinderblocks, attempting to stabilize the floor joists. This setup isn't built for longevity or safety. Cinderblocks are too fragile to provide reliable support, making this a short-term and risky solution.

Uneven Support

This setup showed another issue: uneven and unlevel supports. Since the blocks were laid directly on the ground, any shifts in the soil created instability. This uneven pressure can stress specific areas of the joists more than others, causing long-term damage.

Leaning Supports

Here's one of the most concerning sights: leaning supports. A diagonal stack like this doesn't just fail to support the joists-it actively risks further damage. Instead of stabilizing the structure, it shifts pressure unpredictably, creating a bigger problem.

Metal Bracket Bent

The metal bracket on top of this support was visibly bent from excessive pressure. If this system had been left any longer, it could have folded completely or broken off, leaving the joists unsupported.

Broken Joist

This joist shows the toll moisture has taken on the crawl space. A chunk of wood has broken away, likely from long-term exposure and stress. Without intervention, this could have led to severe structural damage above.

Mold on Joists

Black dots on the joist are unmistakable signs of mold growth. Mold doesn't just weaken the wood-it also releases spores that affect the air quality in the home. Moisture problems in the crawl space can impact the entire household.

Orange Mold Spores

This orange mold growth is striking and alarming. Damp, untreated wood creates the perfect breeding ground for mold, and it's a vivid reminder of the damage unchecked moisture can cause.

Interior Drywall Cracks

Inside the home, signs of instability were impossible to ignore. Large diagonal cracks above the doorframe pointed directly to crawl space problems. When drywall cracks like this appear, it's time to act quickly.

More Cracking

Cracks in the drywall weren't isolated to one area. These diagonal fractures appeared throughout the home, highlighting the urgent need for crawl space stabilization. Thankfully, the homeowner called us in time to prevent further damage.

SmartJack Installation

We replaced the failing supports with our heavy-duty SmartJack system. These steel jacks are designed to stabilize girders and floor joists permanently, providing the support this crawl space desperately needs.

Permanent Stabilization

We removed the unstable soil beneath each SmartJack to ensure lasting stability and replaced it with a solid concrete footing. This load-bearing base ensures the system remains stable for years, giving this family the peace of mind they deserve.