A1 Foundation Crack Repair Blog

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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Leaky, wet and damp basements can cause many different types of problems, from merely annoying to structural and health related problems. Water intrusion through poured concrete foundations is typically the result of:

• foundation wall cracks
• cold joints (where new concrete meets existing concrete)
• improperly sealed snap ties (Metal snap ties or tie rods are used to hold the forms of a foundation in place while it is being poured, snap ties can leak over time if the prep work is not done properly)
• water, well, sewer and electrical conduit pipe penetrations.

We are going to talk about pipe penetration wall leaks. Many do-it-your-selfers have tried over the years to fix these leaks. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t.

During the construction of a home, holes in the foundations are cored to allow for water, well, sewer and electrical conduits to penetrate through the foundation. For example, a typical sewer line is 4 inches around. The hole cored may be 5 inches or more, leaving a space between the outside of the sewer pipe and the concrete. Prior to backfilling the foundation, these spaces are usually filled with hydraulic cement. Sometimes, they're not sealed at all. These penetrations are one of the weakest links in the foundation walls when it comes to holding back groundwater, and it's very common for them to leak water. Improper preparation around pipe penetration can cause water intrusion.

For the best and surest way to stop this type of water leakage, and its ensuing problems, call A1 Foundation Crack Repair.

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