How Screw Piles Lift and Stabilize Sinking House Foundations

If your home is showing cracks in walls, sticking doors, or uneven floors, you likely have a sinking foundation. The good news? Screw piles offer a permanent solution—without the mess and expense of traditional underpinning. At Down Force Piling, we’ve lifted and stabilized hundreds of Calgary homes using engineered helical piles. Here’s how it works.

How Screw Piles Lift and Stabilize Sinking House Foundations

The Problem: Why Houses Sink

Calgary’s expansive clay soils and variable ground conditions commonly cause:

• Differential settling (one part of the house sinks faster)

• Foundation cracks (from uneven pressure)

• Structural damage (doors/windows that won’t close properly)

Traditional "fixes" like mudjacking are temporary—they don’t address the unstable ground beneath your home.

The Screw Pile Solution

Step 1: Identify Bad Ground

We assess:

• Soil conditions (clay, sand, or waterlogged areas)

• Settlement patterns (where the worst sinking occurs)

• Load requirements (how much support is needed)

Step 2: Install Piles to Stable Soil

• 10–20 feet deep (bypassing weak surface layers)

• Torqued to verified capacity (using hydraulic equipment)

• Spaced strategically under problem areas

Step 3: Lift and Secure the House

• Hydraulic jacks raise settled sections

• Steel brackets transfer weight to the piles

• Home rests on piles—not unstable ground

When to Consider Screw Pile Repairs

✔ Visible cracks in drywall/brick

✔ Doors/windows that stick or won’t close

✔ Sloping floors (place a marble to test)

✔ Gaps around baseboards or cabinets