Seawall Repair and Soil Stabilization on Lake Harris, FL
After being on vacation for a week, a relatively new homeowner came back to her home on Lake Harris, FL to find a section of her yard near the seawall caving in. Because the seawall is a mere 15 ft from the lake, the homeowner was worried that her home was at risk of sliding into the lake.
Fortunately, this homeowner hired Foundation Professionals of Florida to provide an assessment and fix the issue. In the inspection, it was discovered that mortar joints in the seawall were failing and water in the depression in the yard was breaking seeping through the resulting cracks. The downspout from the gutter on the home was dumping water directly into the depression, furthering the issue. There were also several underground voids in the yard, including one large void that stretched from the seawall about halfway to the home. Foundation Professionals of Florida owner Daniel Stagg even commented, “When we started removing the grass, we almost lost a shovel.”
The Solution – Void Filling Using Prime Resin
The repair solution that we selected for this job was to use Prime Resin Flex 920 to fill voids in the yard and seal the seawall cracks. This hydrophobic, single-component polyurethane resin activates with a catalyst (Prime Kat or Kick Fast Kat), forming a watertight, rigid foam. One great environmental advantage to this product is that it is independently tested and verified to meet NSF/ANSI Standard 61 regarding contact with potable water.
Stagg said, “We chose 920 for ease of use, because of the wall’s contact with the lake, and its low viscosity allowing thorough permeation of soils. Plus its a proven product we trust and depend on for these projects.”
Once the voids were filled, weep hole drains were installed to prevent a buildup of hydrostatic pressure on the land side of the seawall. These drains allow water to flow but prevents migration of soil with an internal filter system. The downspouts were also extended to expel water beyond the seawall to prevent further issues from occurring.
The Results of Prime Resin Injection in a Lake Harris Home
The major challenge of this job was the development of a second depression, uncovering a void about 8 ft west of the initial hole and caused by water from the downspout. This area was excavated, backfilled with clean dirt and injected with Prime Flex 920 for proper soil stabilization.
The work took two phases. During these phases, 75 ft of the seawall was sealed, and two large voids in the yard were filled and stabilized. Short-term fixes could have been utilized at 50% the cost of the resin injection, but would not have resulted in permanent stabilization. Foundation damage and seawall failure due to such impermanent solutions would have ended up costing about 400-500% more than our solution. Overall, the client is satisfied with the job and is not concerned about her home sliding into the water.
If you see a similar problem in your home, contact Foundation Professionals of Florida at once. We offer soil stabilization, sinkhole remediation, foundation piering, seawall repair, and much more throughout Florida.