While a damaged foundation is very serious, it can be fixed. There is always a way to repair a foundation, so be sure to look into all your options before making a decision.
Read on for more information regarding foundation repair.
Is It a Vertical, Horizontal, or Diagonal Crack?
The type of crack can indicate how serious a foundation wall crack is. Minor vertical and diagonal cracks are often just the result of the foundation wall settling and not structural damage.
However, if you can slip a dime into the crack, it needs to be fixed. This is the rule of thumb that most people use to determine what cracks to repair and what cracks to leave be.
However, horizontal cracks can indicate a more serious problem. Horizontal foundation wall cracks can indicate that the soil is unstable and shifting.
If the ground around your house has not been graded properly, rainwater eventually saturates the soil causing pressure on the weight-bearing basement foundation walls. This is a serious problem.
If your basement foundation walls have horizontal cracks, schedule an appointment with a contractor that specializes in concrete repair.
Foundation Repair
You can fix minor, vertical, and diagonal cracks by injecting epoxy into the cracks. However, you can leave hairline cracks alone.
But, before you fill minor cracks with epoxy, monitor them for a few weeks. If the crack continues to expand, you’ll need to have a professional look at it.
If your foundation cracks have been caused by water-saturated, shifting soil, you’ll need to hire a contractor. They’ll need to address the root cause of the problem with foundation repair.
That way, they will be more ready to make the necessary repairs that your foundation needs. After you have diagnosed the problem, you can then decide how to fix it.
Repairing a Foundation With Steel Rods and Cement
This is more of an extreme type of foundation repair. It is more time-consuming, more expensive, and more fraught with possible error. The exterior of the foundation wall will need to be completely excavated.
The wall is then pushed back to straighten it. Then, steel bars are pushed between the hollow cement blocks and into the ground to create a support system.
Next, the hollow centers of the blocks are filled with cement. Finally, the exterior of the foundation wall is coated with exterior waterproofing.
This is a more thorough process than other kinds of foundation repair, but that’s because it has to be with this sort of repair approach. After this repair has been made, your foundation should be good to go for a long time into the future.
You might want to monitor it just in case though. This would be to your advantage.
Roughcasting Crumbling Foundation Walls
If the builders used inferior concrete, it could begin to crumble and fall out. In this case, your contractor can renew it with a technique called roughcasting.
other related articles of interest:
Closing the Cracks: 4 Things to Look For When Repairing Your Foundation
First, a vapor barrier is applied. Next, it’s covered with wire mesh. Finally, the wire mesh is covered with thin-set epoxy cement.
The cement coating can be painted any color you want. This will complete your repair with style and grace.
You might be able to fix minor foundation cracks yourself with epoxy. However, if the problem is due to saturated soil or inferior-grade concrete, your foundation needs professional help.
Professional help might be the best idea, especially if you are not a handy person who likes to do home repairs.
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Image credit: cracked or crumbling foundation by envato.com
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