Columbus, OH | StablWall

Are Your Foundation Walls Starting to Crack? Here are Solutions | Columbus, OH

Posted by StablWall Structural Strengthening System on

Foundation crack repair can be expensive. Whenever you’re dealing with something as important as the foundations of your house, you need to act fast, and it’s going to cost money.

But what a lot of people don’t realize is that a simple crack in say, the outer plaster, isn’t a cause for concern. So when should a foundation crack should worry you?

How wide?

The first test is to measure how wide the crack is; measure from the widest point of a crack with a simple tape measure.

If it’s any wider than 1/16 inch, you have to act. This is too wide and can let in both water and termites. If it’s smaller than this, simply monitor it over the course of a few months.

Even if it doesn’t reach this 1/16 inch limit, you should opt for repair if there’s any change in the width. It’s worrying even if a 1/32 inch crack turns into a 1/20 crack.

Columbus, OH | StablWall

Is it wet?

If a crack admits water, foundation crack repair is a necessity before it causes too much damage. It won’t take long for moisture to cause permanent damage to your home.

Moisture damage is one of the most common causes of serious foundation problems. You often can’t spot the extent of the internal damage. The only way to see it is to notice the wetness on the outside, where it admits water.

Grinding

Sometimes a crack’s faces can begin to grind against each other based on changes in the environment. Here are the two primary environmental changes that might influence this:

  • Temperature
  • Humidity

Check for these changes over a couple of seasons when you notice the first signs of a crack. If there’s no impact, the crack probably isn’t as serious as you think.

Should you repair minor cracks?

As you can see, it isn’t always necessary to act immediately. Minor cracks can be monitored to see how they change over time.

We still recommend taking care of cracks as soon as possible, though. The reason for this is it’s always cheaper to solve the problem as soon as you notice it. The cost of repair goes up every time the crack grows in severity.

Furthermore, solving the problem early ensures that the damage to your home’s foundations is minimal. Too many people have waited and the problem has cost them thousands in repairs. Don’t be one of them. Get help from a foundation repair expert today!

Foundation Maintenance Tips Houston, Texas

Posted by StablWall Structural Strengthening System on

Foundation Maintenance

Not all cracks are indicative of foundation problems, but all foundation issues manifest as cracks. See how that works? So it is a good idea to never ignore foundation cracks, or just any type of crack you see on walls and floors. When you see cracks, make an effort to note them, count them and even measure them to see if they are getting bigger or wider apart, if they are, call in a professional.

Prevention is Key

As with all things in life, preventing damages are better than trying to recover from them. So have a look at the following pointers and try to follow them if it applies to you or your type of home.

Contact Us Today! We Can Help! 866.782.5955

  • Moisture
    For the most part, foundation cracks are the result of soil expansion or contraction, so moisture plays an important part in the strength and steadiness of your foundation. Maintain the right amount of moisture down there. If you stay in a region that has a lot of play when it comes to wetness and drying out, it will put a strain on the structure. You may need to get soakers and other water delivery mechanisms to make sure the levels are steady.

  • Trees
    Let’s be clear about this, trees are a necessity and most weather related problems can be attributed to not having enough of them, so we are not recommending you cut down every tree around your house. As long as trees get enough water, they are not going to suck it out from under your house. Get a qualified engineer or a specialist to come take a look at the tree and root problems that may or may not pose a threat to your foundation. When planting trees, plant them away from the main structure of the house. If the tree’s branches can touch your walls, it is too close.
  • Downspouts
    While you need to keep a certain level of moisture under the house, too much water is a bigger issue. Foundation cracks can appear in places where there are soil swells or runaways, both a result of too much water. You may want to get a simple diverter, something that will keep water from settling along the walls and cause wetness to settle in the basement.

Regular maintenance can go a long way in keeping your home foundation cracks free and will stand steady and last a lifetime.

stablwall vs. wall anchors

StablWall vs. Wall Anchors

Posted by StablWall Structural Strengthening System on

StablWall vs. Wall Anchors

Do you have a bowed foundation wall? You may be trying to decide what method of foundation repair to apply to it. You may be wondering which is better: StablWall vs Wall Anchors.

If you’ve done your research, you’ll know that the bowing of the foundation wall is caused by strong lateral forces acting on the outside of the wall. In many instances, these forces are the result of high hydrostatic pressure in the soil surrounding the foundation. The pressure against the wall causes the wall to shift inward.

Bracing or Reinforcing

In order to repair the foundation wall, you will not only have to find a way to relieve the pressure but also to counteract it. You can either brace the wall or reinforce it.

Wall anchors are used to brace the wall. They can be installed either inside or outside the foundation wall. There are different types of anchors. One popular type includes a wall plate that is bolted onto the bowing wall. The plate is held in place by a rod that is connected to another plate that is installed in the ground some distance away from the wall.

Reinforcing foundation walls is becoming more popular. Reinforcing walls may include using carbon fiber strips or sheets that are installed on the wall. These provide the wall with more strength to resist the pressure from the outside. StablWall is a carbon fiber system that can be bonded directly onto the wall. This makes the wall much stronger than it was before.

StablWall vs Wall Anchors

With a clear understanding of what each system does, it is much easier to make a decision. The following are some differences you may also like to consider when making your choice.

  1. Maintenance

StablWall does not require maintenance once it is installed. In order to be effective, wall anchors have to be adjusted every now and then (most commonly every month) by turning the screws.

  1. Ease of installation

StablWall is easy to install. It is non-invasive and does not require excavation. Wall anchors have to be installed into the ground. This calls for excavation. The use of specialized equipment means that the installation of wall anchors is more expensive, labor intensive and time consuming.

  1. Integration

Wall anchors are conspicuous. StablWall can be easily camouflaged by painting it over. The carbon fiber sheets do not occupy any floor space. Repairing your walls with StablWall will not reduce your home’s aesthetic value.

Contact us today for more information!

Bowed Basement Walls | Col, OH | StablWall

Techniques for Bowing Foundation Wall Repair

Posted by StablWall Structural Strengthening System on

Bowing Foundation Wall Repair

When you see cracks forming on your foundation wall, the first thing you should do is to call the experts. Foundation cracks are often a sign of the need for foundation repair. This isn’t a unique problem. Foundations, like any other part of the home, need maintenance.

Why You Need a Pro

You may be wondering why you should spend money and time calling a professional for only a few cracks on the wall. You’re not alone. Many homeowners will either ignore or seek do-it-yourself solutions to the cracks in an attempt to avoid what they think would be an unnecessary expense.

The problem with this is that foundation cracks often indicate a problem with the foundation, which if not properly repaired is likely to become a structural problem for the entire home. There’s also the problem of water seepage. Even cracks that aren’t allowing water through at the moment are likely to start leaking over time. You’ll end up with a wet basement that will result in further problems including damage of property as well as the growth of mold.

Repairing a Bowing Foundation Wall

Foundation cracks are often the first thing you’ll notice when your foundation is in danger. They are one of the first signs of a bowing foundation wall. In this situation, even the strongest sealants will not protect your wall from further damage.

The bowing occurs as a result of high pressure from the soils surrounding the foundation wall. It is important to not only relieve this pressure but also to provide more support for the wall. The following are two popular ways of providing support for foundation walls.

  1. Re-bracing walls

This is one of the most popular methods of repairing bowing walls. Re-bracing the walls involves reinforcing the walls. The reinforcement may be in the form of carbon fiber strips or steel beams. This provides long term support to the wall ensuring that it will not shift under pressure from the outside.

  1. Anchors

Foundation anchors are installed in a bowing foundation wall to counteract the pressure that is exerted against the foundation wall. The anchors can be installed either on the inside or the outside of the foundation wall. They are installed under the foundation wall. Modern anchors can be installed in the earth without the need for excavation.

If you have bowing foundation walls, have a chat with a professional contractor about the different options available to you.

bowing foundation walls

Signs of a Bowing Foundation Wall

Posted by StablWall Structural Strengthening System on

Bowing Foundation Wall

Foundation walls are meant to provide support to the entire structure of your home. They are therefore an important part of the home. However, even these walls can succumb to the wear and tear of external pressures.

Foundation walls are designed to withstand vertical forces acting on them. A bowing foundation wall is often the result of lateral forces acting on the wall. These forces include pressure from the soil surrounding the foundation. Although foundation walls are also built to be resistant to lateral forces, these forces can sometimes be too much for the walls. This is often the case in areas with high water tables or after heavy downpour.

How to tell that you have a bowing foundation wall

Diagnosing bowing in foundation walls can be difficult. That is if you don’t know what to look for. There are various signs and symptoms that indicate your foundation walls are bowing. These symptoms vary depending on the actual construction of the basement walls. The following are some of the most common signs in:

  1. Block Foundations
  • Stair step cracks – As the wall bows inward, the wall develops cracks along the mortar joints of the block foundation wall. These cracks can be noticed on either the outside or inside of the foundation walls.
  • Horizontal cracks – cracks may also occur horizontally along the mortar joints
  • Tipping – the wall may be seen to tip inward. This can be noticed along the top of the wall
  • Horizontal shearing – this may be noticed along the bottom of the wall.
  1. Poured concrete foundations
  • Vertical or horizontal cracks – these may be the result of settling. Keep close watch to the foundation cracks to see if they are growing in size.
  • Diagonal cracks – these can be spotted on the foundation wall corners. These are often a clear sign of a bowing foundation wall.
  • Wall tipping

What to do

If you’ve noticed that your wall is bowing, it is important to ensure that you have the wall repaired as soon as possible. Bowing is an indication of the failure of your foundation. Bowing is also a sign of extreme lateral forces acting on the foundation.

Search for a foundation repair contractor with experience. It is best to compare at least three quotations for foundation repair from different contractors. This will help you get the best value for your money.

Don’t wait for the problem to become even worse. Ensure that you have your foundation repaired as soon as possible.

bowing walls

When to Straighten Your Bowing Walls

Posted by StablWall Structural Strengthening System on

Bowing Walls

There are two popular types of foundation walls in modern residential construction. These are the poured concrete walls and the concrete block walls. These are used widely because they are easy to install and offer great strength to the foundation of the home.

However, these foundations can be damaged severely when put under extreme pressure by the soil that surrounds the foundation. Horizontal pressure on the foundation walls can result in horizontal movement when the pressure is greater than what the foundation wall is designed to withstand. This movement results in inward leaning or bowing walls. This is manifested by cracks on the foundation walls that can result in seepage.

Repairing Foundation Walls

The repair method you choose for your walls will depend on the extent of damage to the walls. You can choose to provide the walls with extra support by installing carbon fiber strips or steel beams. You can also choose to straighten the walls.

When you should straighten your bowing walls

  1. Straightening poured concrete walls

The strength of poured concrete walls lies in the fact that they consist of a single continuous block as opposed to many small individual pieces. They are therefore much stronger than concrete block foundation walls. However, they too succumb to the horizontal pressure from surrounding soil.

The most common signs that these walls are bowing are severe cracks especially around the corners of the walls. Cracking beams are also a sign of failure.

As a rule of thumb, you should consider having your walls straightened if the wall bulges into 30% of its thickness. E.g. if the wall is 10 inches thick, the walls should be straightened if it bulges in more than 3 inches. If it bulges in less than this, the wall can be reinforced.

  1. Straightening concrete block walls

Concrete block walls consist of small blocks that are joined together with mortar. Because these walls are not as strong as poured concrete walls, they need to be straightened much sooner. Signs of weakness in the wall include horizontal cracks along the mortar joints.

As a rule, concrete blocks should be straightened if the bowing is more than 2 inches inward. The wall should also be straightened if the blocks in the wall shatter or if a block in the wall shifts more than 1 inch laterally.

It is important to have your basement inspected by a professional and licensed contractor. This will ensure that you are provided with a long term solution.

Bowing Foundation | Columbus, Ohio | StablWall

Capitalizing on Professional Bowing Foundation Walls Systems

Posted by StablWall Structural Strengthening System on

Bowing Foundation Walls

The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) says, in a 2013 study, that bowing foundation walls contribute to over 59% of repairs that their members carry out. In a similar study, the National Realtors Association (NRA®) reckons that your home can lose over 50% of its value due to a similar problem.

With the consequences associated with this common problem including structural damage, electrical and plumbing damage, stress on framing structure, water leakage, property destruction in the basement and overall loss of  home value, it is imperative to promptly get a lasting solution.

Basements Worst Enemies

According to CFA, the major causes of a bowing foundation include unstable soils leading to lateral soil pressure, poor construction, hydrostatic pressure, expansive soils, among others. As a homeowner, immediate remedies from a professional contractor are needed.

The project might require excavation, lifting the weight off the structure and returning the wall as close as possible to the plumb. These professionals have the prerequisite resources, personnel and exposure to work on any kind of project.

Contemporary Solutions

Well, your contractor has a wide range of bowing foundation walls solutions to choose from, but they will depend on a professional diagnosis of the problem. The most popular systems include:

Carbon Fiber Installation

It is cited as the most effective method due to ease of installation and speedy work. The fiber reinforced polymer is 10 times stronger than steel beams, and specifically formulated for such repairs. These strips are adhered using a high-strength epoxy that absorbs pressure. Once this is done, the project is complete and the beauty of it is that there is no digging involved.

Heavy Duty Steel Wall Braces

This system is designed to permanently halt the inward bowing of foundation walls, tilting at the top and sliding at the bottom. The braces are fitted into holes drilled from the interior of your basement without any need for extensive excavation. They can even be tightened in future to finally restore the wall to its original position.

Helical Anchors

This has become a top choice for effective repairs, especially where damage is extensive. It involves driving a shaft with helical blades which permanently stabilize your home. They don’t require a lot of digging and easily restore your property’s value without a lot of disturbance to your home’s structure.

They can also be easily concealed once you are done with the repairs in your basement. The corrosion-resistant galvanized steel used is a tested and proven support material that lasts the life of your home.

There are many other patented bowing foundation walls solutions, but they can only be effective if your contractor has correctly diagnosed the issue.