Advantages of Helical Screw Piles

There are several options when considering foundations for a construction project, and they all have their own advantages and disadvantages. One of the options you may be considering is helical screw piles.

To compare helical screw piles to other types of foundations, you must be familiar with their unique advantages.

What Are Helical Screw Piles?

Helical screw piles are a type of foundation used for various construction projects, such as room additions, houses, and buildings. They are large steel shafts with helices on one end that get driven into the ground the way a screw gets driven into wood. They are installed using lightweight hydraulic machinery with a drive head that applies force to drive them into the ground, similar to a power drill.

Helical screw piles have been in use for over 150 years, and while there have been improvements, the general design has stayed the same. Most of the improvements have been in types of materials used and the tools used for installation.

Advantages of Helical Screw Piles

There are several advantages to helical screw piles that make them suitable for almost any kind of construction project. You can find opportunities to use this foundation type almost anywhere if you look hard enough. This is an option that should always be on your list when deciding what kind of foundation to use. They are especially advantageous in poor soil situations.

Quick Installation

One of the biggest appeals of the helical screw piles is how quickly they can be installed. No excavation or major landscape changes are needed to prepare the site for helical screw pile installation. A typical installation can be completed in one to two days after a plan is made and an estimate is approved. Lead times to schedule installations are typically short.

Clean-up after installation is just as fast. Since all that is needed on the site are the piles and the machinery to install them, very little has to be removed when installation is done. Once extra piles and machinery are removed, the next phase of construction can begin immediately.

Environmentally Friendly

Helical screw piles have a very simple installation process that doesn’t require excavation, heavy machinery, or chemicals that can leach into the soil. Furthermore, the installation process is quiet and has low vibration compared to other foundations. 

This minimizes the impact helical screw pile installation has on the surrounding environment. The piles can also be reused at another site when the original building is torn down or moved with minimal impact on either site.

Year-Round Installation

Helical screw piles are simply driven into the ground, and they don’t need to be set or cured. This allows them to be installed year-round, no matter the temperature. Of course, installation may need to be adjusted to account for frozen ground in the winter, but as long as the proper equipment and machinery are used, installers can do it with ease. 

Versatile Applications

You can find helical screw piles in every type of construction. You can use them for houses, decks, billboards, rails, and even underwater anchoring. They can support both light and heavy loads and can be installed in soil that is too poor quality for other types of foundations. Furthermore, they can be installed at any angle needed, even horizontally, if the plan calls for it. 

Since helical screw piles are custom designed for each project, they can adapt to any size restraints, soil quality, and architectural plans. So whether you’re building a small shed in a tiny backyard in the city or a home in a spacious plot in the suburbs, a plan can be designed to suit almost any need. 

Minimal Landscape Disturbance

While landscapes are often changed when new buildings are constructed, the same isn’t always true when existing buildings have additions put on. This is because the machinery used for installation is small and lightweight, and the piles only disturb the sections where they are drilled into the ground. 

The lack of vibration during installation prevents unexpected disturbances away from the construction site, and sensitive plants are minimally affected. With quiet machinery, you are also less likely to scare away birds, and other wildlife attracted to feeders and water sources in backyards and gardens. 

Immediately Load Bearing

As soon as helical screw piles are installed, they can start to bear loads. This is a unique feature among the different types of foundations and makes them well-suited to construction with short timelines that rely on the foundation to be done quickly to stay on schedule.

The load-bearing capacity also tends to increase over time. While this is usually over the course of several years, you should still take it into account for construction projects that may eventually include expansions and additions over the lifespan of the building.

Disadvantages of Helical Screw Piles

While helical screw piles have several advantages, they aren’t perfect for every application. There are some situations where other types of foundation may be better options. Helical piles can’t be easily drilled into solid bedrock, so they aren’t very practical for construction in areas that are too rocky.  

Trust The Experts for Installation

In most cases, however, the advantages of helical screw piles far outweigh the disadvantages. If you’re considering a helical screw pile foundation for your construction product, you should work with a reliable, factory-certified installer. 

These installers, like the professionals at GoliathTech, can help you get started with a professional consultation and installation plan. They can be a great way to quickly get a sturdy foundation for almost any project at any time of the year, even in poor soil conditions.