Bowing Walls and Other Basement Wall Issues
Soil pressure is the main culprit in putting foundation walls at risk for structural failure. Often foundation walls are unable to sufficiently hold back the weight of super-saturated soils. Soils with high clay content expand during wet weather, putting tremendous pressure on the foundation walls. During extended dry weather conditions, the soil contracts leaving the effected foundation walls vulnerable to collapse.
What are the signs of foundation wall damage?
- Bowing Walls — Part of the foundation wall is being pushed in, so it is no longer straight from top to bottom.
- Tilting Walls — Soil pressure is pushing the top part of the foundation wall inward.
- Wall Cracks — Cracking is generally the first sign of a failing foundation wall. Cinder block foundations will usually show signs of cracking between the individual blocks along the mortar joints where they are weaker than the block itself. Poured concrete foundations will show signs of stress cracks when the soil pressure is too great.
Find Your Local Foundation Repair Contractors
Basement and foundation wall repair
Foundation Repair Pros’ engineered wall anchor system is the solution to failing foundations due to soil pressure.
Wall anchors provide the equal and opposite pressure needed to offset the high clay soils pressure during wet weather conditions. Two strong pressure plates are connected by a powerful steel rod, buried beneath the ground adjacent to the foundation. The wall anchor’s exterior plate uses the soil against itself to tighten the interior plate stabilizing the damaged foundation wall. The interior plate is tightened over time as needed to sustain foundation stability.
Bowing foundation walls will not fix themselves. In fact, once a basement or foundation wall has been compromised, it is vulnerable to soil pressure, harming the structural integrity of your home. This is not a DIY project, and repair should not be attempted by someone other than a trained professional foundation repair company, with proven engineered solutions.
Basement and Foundation Wall Repair Methods
Your local Foundation Repair Pros contractor will explain to you the various methods available to solve your foundation wall problem. They will use their years of expertise to guide you in selecting the system that will work best for your home.
Available options for repair include: wall anchors, helical anchors, carbon fiber straps, I-beams or wall reinforcement beams. The features and benefits vary from one system to another, and certain solutions work better with certain foundation problems. Severity of foundation failure, type of foundation wall, and property site & landscaping are just a few of the considerations taken into determining the best foundation repair solution for you.
How do I tell if I have bowing basement walls?
If you have a cinder block foundation you can often see horizontal cracks in mortar joints, stair-step cracks at outside corners, horizontal buckling at the top or bottom of the basement wall. As the foundation wall gets worse, you will see obvious bowing and separation of the block, as if it were being pushed in from the outside. It might look as if a car ran into your foundation at high speed, pushing it in.
With a poured concrete foundation you will generally see cracks in the wall running vertically or horizontally, or diagonal cracks on the outside corners will be visible.
Contact your local Foundation Repair Pros professional today to receive a free foundation inspection, expert consultation and a written estimate, to provide you with peace of mind! Our systems come with a lifetime warranty! We fix it once, we fix it right!
