A1 Foundation Crack Repair Blog

There are plenty of homes out there with leaky basements. Many homeowners just assume their basement will be dark and damp. Maybe the concrete floor has a crack, or the foundation leaks a bit, or perhaps there is a leak where the pipes go through the basement walls. Through a towel on that, clean that right up and you’re all set right? Wrong.

Even if you don’t have a finished basement, even if the water doesn’t bother anything at all, you should take basement leaks seriously. Here's why:

Insects - There are many insects that seek out dark and damp areas including termites, cockroaches and spiders. We aren’t just talking about not liking bugs here. Termites and wood boring beetles, can damage your home. But insects can also cause health problems and they very challenging to get rid of without taking serious steps that involve harsh chemicals.

Health Problems - Mold and mildew dark and damp places, and damp basements are the perfect habitat. Mold can have serious effects on your family’s health, especially if there are asthma or allergies involved. Mold can increase the asthma attacks and itchy, watery eyes.

Integrity of your Foundation - A small wall or floor crack may seem harmless. But that crack may be hiding something bigger that you just can’t see.  If your doors aren’t shutting right floors are starting to warp this could be a result of the leak in your basement.

Resale value – Adding a basement to the list of amenities of your home when you  go to sell is a huge advantage. However, listing a home that has water damage in the basement is a big red flag. With all the homes on the market, and all the choices buyers have today, your home needs to be as enticing as ever to attract buyers.

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If basement water problems can be solved, you can gain some valuable storage or living space.  There are two ways to go about approaching water issues. The first is to address the leak from the outside of the foundation and the second is to deal with the problem from the inside. From both directions, there are waterproofing techniques designed to seal water out, and others that are designed to divert water from the foundation.

Waterproofing techniques and supplies that are generally used by do-it-yourselfers to seal water out of the basement include spray on sealants, membranes, and injection expanding epoxy waterproofing supplies designed to fill and seal cracks in solid concrete foundation walls. These are some of the least reliable methods of keeping water out because over time, they all succumb deteriorate.

There are also waterproofing supplies and techniques for diverting water on the exterior of the home. Dirt fill can be used along foundation to make the ground slope away from the house. This allows for water to runoff away from the home.

Regardless of the method you choose, exterior repair work is messy and expensive. The installation of anything on the exterior of the foundation will require excavation to expose the wall.

On the interior, the A-1 method of sealing out water from concrete floor cracks is with the gravity fed system. A polymer is used to create a bond between the concrete cracks and fills the entire void through to the bottom. The A-1 preferred method for foundation wall pipe penetration leaks is to inject the gap around the pipe with high-viscosity polyurethane. This polymer can be used on both wet and dry materials, and it can work its way into small hairline cracks to make a more powerful bond.

A-1 Foundation Crack Repair, Inc. was founded after more and more house builders requested the A-1 Method to solve problems that otherwise would have been cost prohibitive or simply too invasive. In fact, the A-1 Method not only repairs your existing cracks, but also helps prevent future ones!

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Homes built in the late 1930’s to the 1970’s were often built with concrete block foundations. These days, builders mostly use poured concrete for foundations. However, concrete block still has a place as a viable material for foundations. When a foundation is small, such as a home addition or crawl space, builders can save money by using concrete blocks instead of subcontracting for poured concrete, this way foundations can be quickly and economically built.

Concrete block foundations can show their problems in a number of ways; horizontal cracks in the mortar joints, horizontal shearing on the bottom of the walls, stair-step cracks in outside corners, tipping at the top of the wall, or even bulging.

Depending on the direction of the crack, you may be able to discern the problem.

Horizontal Cracks in Block Foundations

Horizontal cracks in concrete block or brick foundations mean that your foundation is being subjected to lateral pressure. This means that the ground around your house expands when it’s wet, and then contract when it dries. This type of foundation damage is usually fairly serious.

Vertical Crack In Block Foundations

If your foundation has vertical cracks, this can mean that your foundation is having "settling" problems. This is usually caused by unstable soil conditions, which may cause your foundation to rise or fall in certain areas. In most cases, damage to a foundation caused by settlement can also be visible in other areas of your home, such as in door and window frames.

Vertical Cracks In Poured Foundation

If your foundation has recently been poured, it's possible that the type of damage will be visible as small, vertical cracks that run at a slight angle. This type of damage is caused by the shrinkage that occurs in drying concrete during the curing process. Most of the time, this type of damage is fairly inexpensive to fix.

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In older homes, we expect basements to leak and have cracks. In general, damp basements seem like standard issue; especially concrete block foundations which seep and weep over time as they settle. Wet basement are just annoying aren’t they, nothing else? It’s something you can take care of later.

Unfortunately, not. The issues that arise with damp basements aren't always easy to recognize, and can create serious problems. Cracks in a solid concrete wall or floor are almost never only on the surface, it is practically a guarantee that the crack goes all the way through. This is a definite problem. Cracks create structural integrity issues, a chance for water to seep through the walls, and introduce the possibility of mold, not to mention pests.

Moisture can build up extremely fast. When these cracks are first detected, you need to take action immediately. Have them inspected and possibly repaired. Understand that putting some concrete on the front and cosmetically sealing the crack is not going to do the trick. It could actually do more damage if water leaks are present because sealing it at the surface could cause pressure to build. Concrete is porous and pressure build up will only cause the water to find another way through.

Hire a professional to take care of all you basements cracks and leaks. Your home is most likely the biggest investment you will ever make. A1 Foundation Crack Repair is the best solution for cracks and leaks in your home’s walls and foundation. Call us as soon as you detect a problem.

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As the most important element of your home's infrastructure, your foundation must remain in flawless condition in order to provide the required amount of stability. For foundation repair, waterproofing, mold removal, and more, its best to contact a foundation specialist such as A-1.

Every building is built from the bottom up, which means the lowest level is always the major base for support. That's why it's important to keep both your foundation and basement in tip-top shape if you wish you to maintain a structurally sound building. If the condition of your foundation is damaged or weakened in any way, the stability of your entire home is put at risk. It's important to perform regular foundation waterproofing and repairs. It is also smart to ensure mold remediation and basement waterproofing, in order to keep your home from facing serious structural issues down the road.

While it's important to perform regular foundation repairs, you shouldn't attempt to do them yourself. Given the solid, immovable quality of concrete foundations, working on a foundation repair is often very difficult if not done with the proper training and equipment. That's where our professional and experience team comes in handy. We have the extensive training and knowledge required to provide you with the fix-it work you need in order to patch up a hole or crack, and we can even perform foundation waterproofing to protect against water damage and erosion.  Our experienced A-1 team will be able to perform all necessary maintenance work and ensure the continued stability of your foundation.

So whether you need foundation work, a cure for a wet basement, or professional mold removal, hiring A-1 Foundation Crack Repair is the only way to ensure success. If you're ready to stabilize your home with a solid foundation, feel free to contact us today and we'll be happy to help.

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Symptoms of failing foundation walls in a home look different depending whether they are constructed of concrete block or poured concrete. Concrete block walls typically display horizontal cracking across the center length as it begins to bow inward near mid-height. As the problem worsens, stair-step cracking at the corners can be observed. Continued inward pressure exerted on the concrete block wall can also result in horizontal shearing at a mortar joint, where the bottom row of block is held in place by the concrete floor slab as the next course of block and wall above slides in.

Vertical shearing may also be observed when the end of a wall is supported or held in place by an adjoining perpendicular wall. The end of the wall remains stable as the rest of the wall cracks and moves inward. Poured concrete walls will typically display single, diagonal cracks extending upward from the bottom corners of the wall toward the top center. Further, unlike a block wall that bows in near mid-height, the top of a poured wall tends to lean in. In finished basements, where foundation walls may not be exposed, other signs may alert you to a structural problem. As failing basement walls move inward, ceiling panels and ceiling drywall may begin to buckle.

Drywall on finished, abutting walls can also buckle between the wall studs. In extreme cases, horizontal cracking may even be seen in the home's exterior brick veneer. As you can tell, foundation cracks are no mere small problem. They can result in serious damage to your homes structure, which is why its best to have the professionals at A-1 come in and inspect your home and do any foundation repairs you may need. Contact us today for more information.

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A-1 Foundation and Crack Repair emphasizes consumer education.  Our loyal blog readers understand this.  We welcome the small jobs that bring welcome relief rather than witnessing the emotional and financial pain associated with massive foundation failure.  Someone is going to save tens of thousands of dollars by reading and acting upon this blog post. 

The foundation is the backbone of your home, and proper maintenance is the key to keep it in tact. However, many factors that contribute to foundation cracks are out of your control. Such as environmental damage or where the home was built. If you are on a heavy clay soil, or poor soil that can affect your foundation. Here are seven signs that you may have problems with your foundation.

• Doors and windows do not close properly. This is a strong indication that something weird is going on with your foundation. Doors and windows that used to open and close with ease have now become more difficult and noisy to operate.
• Sloped Floors. When you drop things on the floor, do they tend to roll down to the same spot?
• Sheetrock cracks. Check door jams and window frames. The thing to watch for is a diagonal crack, often extending from the corner of a door or window frame. This indicates frame twist caused by foundation movement.
• Nails popping out of drywall. If over time you are seeing nail heads popping through the skin of the drywall, it could be an indication of a heaving or settling slab foundation.
• Cracks in exterior walls.  Again, look for diagonal cracks, especially in brickwork. It is another sign of foundation problem if the width of the cracks expands with time. 
• Sections of brick or siding separating from the framing. This are where vertical cracks come in to play. Do you see separation between sections of siding? Is there separation between the brick and framing? The vertical crack may be wider at the top than at the bottom or vice versa. Such cracks are often a sign of movement in the foundation.
• Leaning chimney. If the chimney is no longer square with the rest of the house or has the telltale diagonal cracks, this is another sign of foundation movement.

Of course these same signs apply to assessing the foundational health of your commercial properties as well. Any single indicator mentioned above is cause for concern.  Two or more of these signs is a definite call to action before your foundation problems multiplies.  

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