What is a Coal Chute? In old buildings that originally used coal to heat with, you will find a 6 to 12 inch wide opening between the outside and the basement. When coal was delivered, people would then shovel the coal into this coal chute / coal slide to have the coal next to the furnace. The coal shoots are often found in major cities like, Boston, Worcester, Dorchester, Providence and Weston. Why do they...

Why is my foundation leaking now and never has leaked in the past? Since the middle of August I have been receiving calls from homeowners with fieldstone foundations that have always had dry basements until recent rains. Whether you are in MA, RI, CT, NH your stone foundation is not moving and causing new basement cracks during the New England summer. So whys are all of a sudden homeowners basements leaking? The answer to the...

Why do Floor/Wall Seams Leak? A common homeowner problem is a water leak between where the cement wall meets the cement floor. This area leaks due to the fact the cement wall rests on a footing. During the construction phase, the footing should be perfectly cleaned of all soil particles before the forms are placed on the footing and the concrete is poured between the forms. Over time, the particles of soil will erode away...

What is a Lally Column? In the late 1800’s, John Lally was upset and bewildered by buildings collapsing as a result of fires or inadequate support and searched for a solution. In 1898, in the town of Waltham, Massachusetts, a steel beam support column was invented by none other than John Lally, hence the name lally columns. Why & When are Lally Columns looked at? During Construction Phase; by a town building inspector When a...

Upon reading this Sunday’s MetroWest Daily News, I came across an article written by Zachary Comeau, titled “Towns struggle to track missing water”. The article highlighted 13 MetroWest towns throughout Massachusetts (Ashland, Medway, Hopkinton, Bellingham, Framingham, Holliston, Milford, Sudbury, Franklin, Hopedale, Natick, Southborough, & Northborough) and their trouble with unaccounted water supply. According to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s water conservation standards, 10% is the maximum threshold of unaccounted water for a particular community....

How to rectify water coming up cracks in your basement floor or along the floor/wall seams? All kinds of things are recommended from “waterproofing” paint to excavating the exterior of the home to re-tar the foundation. What is the proper way to deal with water underneath your cement floor? The debate on the proper solution been going on for years: SUMP PUMP vs. FRENCH DRAIN? Sump Pump Advantages Solves the problem 95% of the time...

At A-1 Foundation Crack Repair, we often receive calls from homeowners with basement leaks that originate from their chimney. These leaks are a common occurrence and can come from a variety of sources that will either occur from above or below grade sources. Leaking Chimney – Above Grade Sources Cap Mortar Joints or holes in bricks Porous brick Crack Crown Flashing Gutter Condensation Leaking Chimney – Below Grade Sources Leaking between wall, floor & footing...

At A-1 Foundation Crack Repair, we often receive calls from homeowners and commercial accounts that mention puddles or dampness on their basement floor or garage floor when there has been no rain for days or even weeks.  The first areas to investigate when the garage or basement floor has dampness or puddles even when there has been no rain for weeks: Areas to Investigate: Leaking or sweating hot water tank. Leaking or sweating water pipes....

What are cold joints? A cold joint is the joining between the end of one concrete pour that has partially or fully cured and the beginning of a new pour. Cold joints are usually seen when new addition or garage is added onto a house, bulkheads, and even in new construction. Why do they Leak? Cold joints generally leak because this is a weak point in the concrete structure and there are voids at the...

What are Tie Rods? Tie rods/snap ties are small metal rods that are found in poured concrete foundations that go through the foundation from the inside to the outside. On the inside of the foundation the tie rods/ snap ties look like a series of small pinholes/dimples. When concrete is poured, tie rods are used to separate and hold the wood forms apart. Then the concrete is poured between the wood forms. When the concrete...