A. Until recently there have been different standards for testing products such as helical piles for their effectiveness and ability to meet the local building codes. The products are typically evaluated by either BOCA, I.C.B.O. or SBCCI. Today most states have elected to follow the International Building Code, which evaluates products through the International Code Council (ICC) www.iccsafe.org.

 Several key points should be considered when using an underpinning bracket to support a concrete footer.

1. Care must be taken to avoid point loading which can occur when a steel plate is placed under a concrete surface. This is typically accomplished by dry packing between the footing and the bracket with grout to ensure proper bearing and avoiding point loading.

2. Two holes are then drilled into in the foundation through the mounting bolt slots of the bracket. The underpinning bracket requires two anchor bolts with 3500lbs of tension capacity. This restricts any potential movement of the bracket thus ensuring continual structural integrity of the pier and footing.