Foundation cracks can be alarming for a homeowner. Your home is a huge investment and seeing structural damage can make anyone a little nervous about their home’s value.
However, once you know what you’re up against, it isn’t too alarming. There is plenty you can do to tackle foundation cracks and get your home back into ship shape.
Well, yes and no. It’s important to note that not all foundation cracks are created equal. There are many different types of cracks, coming in all shapes and sizes and for a variety of reasons.
For instance, it isn’t unusual for small cracks or hairline cracks to appear in your concrete foundation within the first year or so of new construction. These cracks often appear near windows, corners on the walls or along a longer section of your concrete wall. They’re also usually vertical cracks or diagonal cracks, so they’re pretty easy to distinguish.
When your house is settling into a new foundation, it can cause some of these cracks to form. They’re pretty common and typically aren’t a serious issue.
Now, if cracks are consistently growing and water begins seeping into your basement, that’s another story. This could result from too much hydrostatic pressure building up on the side of your house. Left unchecked, water leaking into your basement can cause a whole list of problems. If that is the case, you need to contact a foundation repair professional quickly and get an estimate.
You should note that foundation repair isn’t always an immediate ordeal. While its possible structural damage could cause a collapse of some sort, it’s an extremely rare occurrence.
Still, the key here is staying on top of your foundation. Depending on the types of foundation cracks you’re seeing, your foundation problems could be purely cosmetic or just a quick fix.
However, If you have any legitimate concerns about the structural integrity of your home, you should get a free consultation and estimate from a foundation repair company like Helitech.
Different types of solutions are needed for different types of cracks. Some vertical or diagonal cracks require simple injections while more threatening horizontal cracks require a more complete solution. To learn more about each type of crack in your foundation, read our homeowner’s guide to foundation cracks.
One of the most common solutions we recommend is an epoxy injection. The unique technology is designed to stop concrete deterioration at the crack while protecting the steel reinforcement inside the impacted area. This can be quite effective at closing up foundation cracks in a cost-effective and long-lasting manner.
At Helitech, we use a specially formulated epoxy injection that permanently restores the structural strength to cracked concrete. In addition to being easy to administer, these injections are effective in a wide range of areas – from concrete basements to foundation walls to concrete structures.
Some foundation contractors will recommend a polyurethane injection instead of epoxy. These might make more sense is there is concern about material leaking out the back of a crack. These fast-setting foams begin to harden and foam within minutes, effectively reducing the chance that materials will flow out of the injected crack.
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At Helitech, we’ll employ epoxy injections to create a sealant on some cracks, but other more serious ones might require extensive work. A professional may fill the crack, install carbon fiber material to help protect the foundation’s structural integrity and install benchmarks to monitor further movement or settlement.
Additionally, a Helitech professional will closely examine your waterproofing system and provide suggestions. You may need to employ some interior and exterior waterproofing solutions.
You should note that if you have horizontal cracks or severe bowing walls, your home improvement project might need more attention than simple crack repairs.
Brick or walls that are too far gone are just too fragile to withstand any pulling or straightening that comes with various foundation repair solutions. If you try and pull or repair the basement walls, you may end up doing more harm than good.
In these severe cases, you may need to rebuild or replace your foundation walls altogether. At Helitech, if a foundation wall is made of brick or in some cases, just too far gone, we will recommend rebuilding the foundation wall(s).
In all cases, however, the only way to truly know what the problem and best solution are is to have a foundation expert evaluate the situation. If you don’t take into account the home’s foundation and the amount of hydrostatic pressure building on the foundation walls, your basement could experience more serious structural problems down the line.
That’s why it’s important to partner with a foundation expert who takes a holistic approach to solve your foundation problems.
At Helitech, we examine your foundation and provide a free, transparent estimate that targets the root problem with your foundation. Call us today to schedule your appointment if you’re experiencing any foundation issues.
Also, you can learn more about our crack repair techniques by downloading our free crack repair brochure.
Find out more about our pricing and available finance options for foundation repair.
Galesburg, IL, USA
Mark was very helpful and courteous. I haven’t had the work done yet, Mark was the best, we’ll see in the future about the actual work. I will post that when it’s done.
