A1 Foundation Crack Repair Blog

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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Your foundation is the cornerstone of your home. It is the footing on which the rest of your house sits. When your foundation has problems, so does the rest of your house. Even well-made foundations can develop problems over time from soil settlement, heavy rains, ice, or other ground movement issues. Serious trouble can result from cracking, crumbling, and settling in your foundation. If these problems are not resolved quickly and correctly, foundation failure can create structural instability. Many homeowners who have never experienced water problems in their homes before are experiencing them now after this long hard winter and the recent rain. Contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair if you're concerned about your foundation.

There are many indicators of foundation settling, cracking, and bowing which can crop up both in and out of your home. A few common signs to watch for can include: bowing or leaning foundation walls, cracks in stair masonry, basement leaks or water stains, musty smells, windows and doors that are sticking and/or a leaning chimney.
 
If your home has any of these symptoms, have your house assessed by a professional water proofing and basement crack repair company.  Overtime, your home’s foundation will continue to deteriorate until it is repaired.

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A leaky basement is a very undesirable situation. Quite often water penetrates your homes foundation. So it is urgent to address this dilemma ASAP. The source of your water leak needs to be repaired to preserve your homes foundation and to prevent serious structural damage to it. Nonetheless, even minor trickles should not be ignored as they can turn into nightmares.

You need to pay attention to where the leak originates. Even though a vast majority of basements are compromised with water infiltration causing damage, the leakage is in fact, concealed. While some of the leaks are hard to detect because they are underground, here are some of the more obvious causes: heavy rainfall, melting ice, gutters and downspouts with leaves and debris. Your gutters may need replaced and are actually directing water toward your house instead of away from it, reverse grading, tree roots, your property naturally slopes down toward your house. But, whatever the reason, you need to restore any loss of structural integrity. Once that is done, you must take all precautions to permanently prevent reoccurrence.

Water leaks can do more than just cause leaky basements. You should protect your personal property from dampness and mildew. Wood can rot causes your wood structures to bow and bend. Paneling can warp or buckle. Albert Einstein once said "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" so take that advice the next time you see any kind of leak in your basement. Be sure to contact us today to learn more about your home's foundation and how we can put the A-1 method to use for you.

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Whether you're selling or buying a house, a foundation problem can easily be a "deal-breaker." Symptoms of foundation problems are impossible to ignore: cracks in bricks, concrete blocks or poured concrete, bowed walls, concrete slabs that have cracked and settled, floors that tilt or sag, and windows or doors that can't operate properly because a settled foundation has skewed their framing.

Even if a prospective home buyer accepts the risk of buying a house with foundation problems, it's unlikely that a bank or mortgage lender will allow a mortgage to be granted for such a problem property. Foundation problems are certain to be identified when the bank's appraiser inspects the house or goes over the standard disclosure documents provided by the real estate agent. In today's market, banks and mortgage lenders are on the alert for flaws and liabilities that might make a house difficult to sell.

The good news about foundation problems is that most of these problems can be effectively solved especially with our A-1 Method. Home buyers and banks often assume the worst when they encounter bowed foundation walls, wide cracks, settled slabs and similar problems. They're likely to believe that the entire foundation must be replaced, or that a settled slab must be demolished and then re-poured. But such extensive and expensive work is rarely required. The technology available to our full-service staff is truly amazing. Settled footings, foundation walls and slabs can be stabilized and even jacked back into their original positions with different pier-and-bracket systems.

Instead of demolishing and reconstructing a bowed foundation wall, anchors can often be installed to make the wall flat again, or close to it. A sagging, springy floor can be jacked back to level again and stiffened by installing precast footings and heavy-duty steel columns. Many of these repairs can be completed in 1-3 days, with minimal disruption to the house and its inhabitants.

If your house has a foundation problem, don't put off the repair. Once the symptoms of a foundation problem show up, it's a sure bet they will only get worse. Cracks will widen, settling and shifting will become more pronounced, and windows and door openings will become even more out of square. Resist the temptation to make cosmetic repairs when a serious structural problem exists. Unless the structural problem is corrected, a patched crack will continue to open up and widen. Our experienced team will be able to give you an accurate assessment of what's causing your foundation to fail, and what repair strategies can be used to save it. Contact us today to learn more about foundation problems and how we can repair your home's integrity with the A-1 method.

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