How to Repair Cracked Basement Foundation
Cracks in the foundation are a sign of a more serious problem. Depending on how severe the crack is, you may need to hire a professional to fix it.
Before you try to fill in a cracked area, first clean the area of any dirt or dust. Vacuum or sweep any debris.
Repairing Non-Structural Cracks
There are 2 types of foundations cracks, non-structural and structual. Non-structural cracked foundations are typically caused by shrinkage of concrete, soil movement, or aging. These cracks may be filled with epoxy sealers or urethane.
Horizontal cracks can be an indication of a serious problem. If the soil around your foundation wall is not graded, drained and graded properly, water may saturate it, creating hydrostatic forces that exceed their weight bearing capacities. This could lead to walls bowing, crumbling or cracking.
For horizontal foundation cracks, it is important to address them immediately in order to prevent leakage and water damages. Push piers and helical pilings can be used for foundation underpinning, as well as drilled concrete pilings. As stabilization measures, steel I-beams and carbon fiber wall bands can be used to prevent foundations from bowing. For added peace, your contractor will also grade your yard away from the house to fix these problems.
Repairing Structural Cracks
Cracks bigger than 1/10 inch can indicate structural damages. If any cracking or other symptoms such wall bowing are observed, a professional assessment should be conducted.
Cracked Foundations can be the result of many factors, including normal concrete shrinkage (water pressure fluctuations), soil shifts and other factors. But severe horizontal cracks, diagonal cracks and vertical cracks indicate foundations that are shifting.
Be sure to dry the area before beginning any crack-repair work. Scrub it with a vacuum and wire bristle brush to remove any loose cement and dirt. Urethane sealer can be used if there has been water.
If cracks are also accompanied by structural problems, foundation contractors will use push piers or hydraulic jacks in order to anchor the foundations to load bearing soil. Then, they will lift them back into place with hydraulic jacks. Carbon fiber wall-straps and epoxy can be installed as well to strengthen the foundation further. Water flow around it can also change.
Sealing structural cracks
If you discover foundation cracks, you should have them professionally assessed immediately to determine the cause. They must then be repaired quickly to prevent air and water intrusion or other structural issues. Even if it does not cause structural problems, a cracked foundation should be repaired as soon as possible in order to prevent any air or water leakage and other issues.
Non-structural cracked are typically caused by shrinkage of concrete and don't present an immediate threat to the structure. However, if cracks become wider over time, this could indicate serious issues that need urgent attention.
To seal these cracked, first remove debris around them, such as loose leaves or dirt, with a wire bristle brush and blower. Scrub each of the cracks using equal parts of crack sealer mixed with two separate sticks in order to avoid contamination. Apply sealer down the entire length of cracks.
Repairing Vertical Cracks
If a crack appears vertically in your foundation, but is less that an inch wide it may be caused from concrete shrinkage. The crack poses no structural risk. A professional can seal these with either a urethane-caulk kit or a cement-latex mixture. However, if the cracks get wider, this could indicate underlying structural issues.
The cracks on slab foundations that are settling should be addressed quickly to prevent them from spreading. Correcting this problem may involve using helical, pushing, or drilled piers.
Before starting foundation repair, your tech will clean cracked areas to ensure resin injections penetrate all cracks. Lingering dust or debris could hinder bonding processes. Holes are then drilled on each side of the crack for injection ports to apply resin injection.
Foundation Repair Lexington KY
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Cracks in the foundation are a sign of a more serious problem. Depending on how severe the crack is, you may need to hire a professional to fix it. Before you try to fill in a cracked area, first clean the area of any dirt or dust. Vacuum or sweep any debris. Repairing Non-Structural Cracks…