Author
Jonathan Dyer
Structural concrete & steel repair and protection specialist providing solutions to the industrial market, now writing about slab and pier-and-beam foundation repair on Baton Rouge's expansive clay soils.
Articles by Jonathan Dyer
- Louisiana Now Requires $500,000 Contractor Insurance. Ask to See It Before Foundation Work.
Louisiana contractor insurance requirements rose to $500,000 for home improvement and residential work. What the LSLBC's Nov. 1 memo means before foundation repair.
- How to Fix Sagging Floors in a Raised Baton Rouge Home (Step-by-Step)
How to fix sagging floors in a raised Baton Rouge home: measure the sag, find the cause, stop rot, jack 1/8 in a day, then sister or support.
- Types of Foundation Cracks: What Baton Rouge Clay Changes
Types of foundation cracks on Baton Rouge slab homes: hairline, vertical, diagonal, stair-step, horizontal and corner pops, and which ones need a pro.
- French Drain vs Swale: Which Works in Baton Rouge Clay?
French drain vs swale in Baton Rouge: costs, slope rules, clay soil limits and the hybrid fix for flat lots, so you pick the right drainage for your slab.
- FEMA Now Sells Flood Insurance Online. Baton Rouge, Buy It While It's Dry.
FEMA now sells flood insurance online. For Baton Rouge homeowners in a drought, the 30-day wait and NFIP's Dec. 11 deadline make this the time to buy.
- How to Install a French Drain in Baton Rouge Clay (Step-by-Step)
How to install a French drain in Baton Rouge clay: find the water, plan a legal outlet, dig 3 ft off the slab at 1-2% fall and keep roof water out.
- Stair Step Cracks in Brick: What Baton Rouge Clay Changes
Stair step cracks in brick on a Baton Rouge home: how to tell slab movement from brick expansion or a sagging lintel, what width matters, and repair costs.
- Crawl Space Encapsulation vs Vapor Barrier: Which Does a Baton Rouge Home Need?
Crawl space encapsulation vs vapor barrier in Baton Rouge: costs, humidity data, flood-zone rules and termite checks to pick which a raised home needs.
- Severe Drought Hits Baton Rouge and Isaias Rain Went East. Start Watering Your Foundation.
Severe drought reached East Baton Rouge and Hurricane Isaias brought little rain. Why watering your foundation now matters on clay, and how to do it right.
- How to Fix a Settling Foundation in Baton Rouge (Step-by-Step)
How to fix a settling foundation in Baton Rouge: stop the water, even out the clay's moisture, measure a season, then pile the side that keeps sinking.
- Post Tension Slab: What Baton Rouge Homeowners Should Know
What is a post tension slab? Concrete squeezed by steel cables. How to tell if your Baton Rouge house has one, why not to drill it, and how it's repaired.
- El Niño Rain Is Coming to Drought-Dry Baton Rouge. That's When Foundations Move.
East Baton Rouge is 99.85% in drought and NOAA now favors a wet, El Niño-driven October. Why that swing moves foundations, and what to do before the rain.
- Pier and Beam vs Slab Foundation: Which Is Better in Baton Rouge?
Pier and beam vs slab foundation in Baton Rouge: a slab costs less to build, but pier and beam handles floods, clay and repairs better. Costs compared.
- How to Fix Foundation Cracks on Baton Rouge Slabs (Step-by-Step)
How to fix foundation cracks: measure, monitor, then seal stable cracks under 1/4 inch. Growing, offset or wide cracks need the cause fixed first.
- Tree Roots Foundation Damage: What Baton Rouge Clay Changes
Can tree roots damage a foundation? Yes, but in Baton Rouge clay it's mostly the water roots pull. Signs, safe tree distances and what to do next.