We received a call from a homeowner, who was really concerned about her Fort Myers seawall repair options. She briefly explained how it was eroding in certain places and causing depressions. Being extremely worried her seawall was going to become unsound and fail, we went over a basic overview of how that can be caused by rainfall rolling off and tidal erosion in the places where there are cracks leading to “venting” of water and sediment materials. This process is relentless, especially after years of severe rain and hurricane conditions.

After she understood the causes of the erosion, she then asked how our process of using expanding foam could help. We explained how the benefits of using expanding foam in situations such as hers can be less expensive and have better results than older methods. Using expanding polyurethane foams allows us to seal any leak, fill voids and compact surrounding soils with low impact, fast acting materials. We then set up an appointment to come out and evaluate the project and then give an estimate.

We met with the homeowner on her new lot where she would build her dream home. She explained how she and her husband shopped around for the perfect piece of land on the water to retire on. They looked at a few pieces of property and noticed the poor condition of many of the seawalls, which deterred them from purchasing many of the lots. The lot that they chose had a newer seawall (under five years old), and they began the long process of building their dream home. After the grass was cut and maintained they noticed a few depressions along the wall. At the time they did not think that the depressions were a big deal so they did not do anything to address them. However, over time these depressions developed into small voids that grew deeper after every rainstorm. Soon it became a danger to compromise the integrity of the seawall. They then became very concerned that they might have waited too long and let a perfectly good seawall  become unsound. The homeowners did not want to have to replace the seawall completely, as a new one can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

We explained how our process can save and stabilize the soil along the cracks and depressions, which could save the seawall. We inspected the density of the soils behind the seawall. Then, the depth and size of the voids were measured as well as the length of the wall to assess the damage and lay out a repair plan so that a bid could be formulated. There were six open voids under the grass along the seawall, ranging in size from six inches to twenty-four inches in diameter. The six voids also measured from four to eight feet in depth.  There were eleven depressions (which lead to voids) along the wall, ranging in size from ten to thirty-six inches in diameter. The density of the soil was extremely poor to the point that a hand probe could be pushed four to eight feet into the ground without resistance.

Left untreated, these conditions could potentially lead to a catastrophic loss and a new seawall would be required. She thanked us for our time and explained she would receive another bid from a competitor. After one week had passed, she called us and said that our bid was the one they would proceed with. We thanked her and scheduled the job to be installed the following Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. . On that Tuesday morning, I called the property owner to wish her a good morning and to let her know we were in route.  At EFS (Environmental Foam Solutions) the owners (who are also the salesmen and installers) are in direct contact with property owners at all times – from start to finish.

Upon our arrival, we unloaded our state-of-the-art rig and equipment. We went over every step from how the rig works, to temperatures of the chemical, and all installation of the materials. We install our apparatus to all voids and depressions noting the “venting” locations along the water side of the seawall. While the injection locations are being set up, the chemicals are brought up to the proper temperature. When everything was set up and ready for installation, we asked the property owner to monitor the installation so that they are familiar and comfortable with the results of each injection location. Beginning on one side of the wall, we address the locations, monitoring the “vent location” and clean up any material that gets in the water. Even though our product is environmentally safe and the only product approved by the National Sanitation Foundation to come in contact with drinking water, it is still important to us at EFS to be clean and respectful to our waterways.

After completion of each location, the grass and foam are trimmed and cleaned up respectively to a weight base and topsoil. As we move along the wall, we are filling voids and depressions, filling “venting locations,” sealing cracks, and adding density to surrounding soils. By doing these things we are able to solidify the seawall to regain lost integrity. Doing this also adds many years of life to your seawall, which retains the value of the property. Now that all injection points have been filled with the expanding foam and cleaned and prepared for base and topsoil, we can load up our rig and tools. All loose foam and pins are now cleaned up and loaded. We can now begin to add base to remove the depressions at grass level. First, we add a base layer consisting of natural raw material such as sand, gravel, or lime rock. After we have everything evenly spread and compacted, we then add a layer of compost topsoil to aid in the regrowth of the grass, which will in turn hold the soil in place.

Now that we have the top soil in place the job is ready for the property owner’s final approval. She was extremely impressed by the outcome and the overall process, especially since she was unaware that this was even available. She thanked us and praised our work, which means everything to us. With this installation, the property owner received a five year warranty which covers any return visits at absolutely no cost. At EFS, we stand by our work, expertise, and the quality of our product.

After payment and a handshake the property owner’s mind was at ease knowing that they could continue with the construction of their dream home since their seawall was now fixed. We were extremely proud to see a stellar review on Yahoo and Google for our hard work and great job. Outcomes like this are what we live for, taking pride in every project, and seeking to make the property owners happy. This is why an owner will be there to give a free estimate for all installations. We guarantee that every installation is done right, so we do it ourselves. As a result, we do not have the overhead of big companies, which means lower prices for our customers.

If you are in need of a Fort Myers seawall repair company, we cover most all of Southwest Florida and are here to discuss whether our services are a fit for your project. Call our local office at (239) 671-8973 or fill out the form on this page to get your free estimate.