THE IMPORTANCE OF FLOATATION
We normally start full blown installations the second week of April and this year we were about a week late due to the cold wet weather.
While the weather has been colder than normal, the soil conditions are also a little different this year. After the exceptionally wet fall, little snow cover this winter and then the big storm this spring, we had some pretty wet soil conditions. While these wet conditions caused our ground to expand as the ground froze, it appears it is now going the other way. People can relate to this movement by the shift in fenceposts, gates not latching properly, sidewalks and driveways heaving and in some cases cracks in their homes and "sticky doors". I relate to these conditions by the movement I see in some of the decks and sunrooms we have built. Fortunately, we have developed a unique "floatation system" (which we have been using successfully for close to 40 years) specifically for our "gumbo" (that is prone to movement) which enables us to build on decks that sit on a surface mounted concrete pads, if piles are too costly or cumbersome.
This made in Manitoba system becomes especially beneficial when we experience a severe year such as this. While we have done adjustments on a few rooms with surface mount pads, we have also had to do adjustments on rooms that were installed on piles. Customers with friction fit piles (16 inch diameter and 16 feet deep), spread bore piles (bell shaped at the bottom) and ground screw type piles have experienced movement as well this year. While this movement could cause damage on any other system, our floatation system compensates for the ground movement, thereby eliminating damage (broken glass, cracks, twisted panels, etc.) that occurs in conventional construction methods.
If you are considering a sunroom addition call 204-940-3030 for a free in home estimate or an appointment to see our display and tour the factory at 265 Sutherland Ave.