How a Concrete Repair Contractor Fixes Foundation Cracks

Objectives

• Educate homeowners on the causes of foundation cracking, and when to be concerned.
• Describe the process a professional concrete repair contractor uses to evaluate and diagnose a crack.
• Follow the actual repair process step-by-step, using common terms.
• Make a comparison of common foundation repair solutions to educate readers about the choices they have.
• Provide practical suggestions on how to prevent recracks.

Key Takeaways

• It’s not a bad idea to look at every crack, but not all cracks are bad.
• Cracks are typically aesthetic, especially if they are horizontal or stair-step in nature, this can be an indicator of structural issues.
• A concrete repair contractor examines the width, direction and movement of the crack prior to proposing a repair.
• Most non-structural cracks can be filled with epoxy and/or polyurethane, and larger ones might require carbon fibre or steel reinforcement.
• Most future foundation issues are avoided by having good drainage and grading.
• The earlier one acts, the cheaper it is to wait.

Introduction

When you come into the basement, turn on the light, and you have it. A crack along the wall, which was not present last summer. You’re likely to say, “Am I having a roof over my head?” The other thing on your mind is, “How much will this cost me?”

Take a breath. While there are those that can’t be repaired, the majority of foundation cracks can be fixed, and many are not as alarming as they appear. But the only way to be sure is to understand what it is that a concrete repair contractor does when they go around inspecting that crack.

This book explains all this in layman’s terms. No technical jargon and no scare tactics. At the end of the day, you will have an understanding of what causes cracks in your foundation and how a professional inspects and repairs them, as well as if and which foundation repair solutions are really appropriate for your home.

Table of Contents

1. Why Foundation Cracks Happen in the First Place
2. There are various types of foundation cracks.
3. A Concrete Repair Contractor will perform their inspection of your foundation in the following ways:
4. Show the real repair steps, step by step.
5. Homeowners often have questions before hiring the assistance of others, and the following are a few of those questions.
6. Foundation Repair Solutions: What is the best one for you?
7. How to prevent cracks from recurring:
8. Don’t Let a Small Crack Turn Into a Big Bill
9. FAQs

What is causing the cracks in foundations the first time they occur?

People do not realize how much concrete moves. Over the years it expands, it contracts and it settles in the ground below it. There are a couple of things that help make that process quicker:

• Soil movement. Clay soil will expand when moist and contract when dry. This ongoing stress on the foundation causes strain.
• Poor drainage. When water accumulates around your foundation, it eats away at the ground under your home, causing it to settle unevenly.
• Tree roots. Roughly parallel roots can extract water from the soil in an uneven fashion, or physically push against the foundation.
• Construction quality. Improperly cured concrete or too fast a rate of backfill pouring will tend to crack earlier.
• Time. Even if the foundation is built properly, after a couple of decades, it will start to form some small hairline cracks. It is not necessarily damage; it’s normal aging.

The bottom line is that there’s no single reason why a crack appears. It is typically a combination of time, soil and water against the concrete.

There are many different types of cracks in the foundation.There is a variety of different types of foundation cracks.

There are often several different types of cracks and many people either panic too soon or ignore a crack they should not ignore. The following is a quick way to read them:

Hairline cracks are thin, typically less than 1/16″ wide, and extend vertically. Commonly shrinkage cracks as the concrete sets, and are seldom structural issues.

Slightly wider, but still vertical straight down cracks are also common and are typically associated with normal settlement.

The ones that should be given a serious look are horizontal cracks. They frequently occur when pressure is exerted on the wall from the outside by the soil or by the water.

Cracks which form as stair steps on the mortar joints of block foundation typically indicate settlement on one side.

Cracks that run from the corner of a window or door are often caused by settling at a part of the house.

If you are looking at a crack now, width and direction will give you almost all the information. A contractor will measure the space prior to giving any recommendations.

Concrete Repair Contractor Inspection of your Foundation

A contractor isn’t just looking at the crack and telling you how much the repair will cost. A good inspection should cover the following:

• All three factors – crack width, length, and depth are important to measure. Most contractors will employ a crack gauge to see if it is opening up or not.
• Movement that hasn’t stopped can be indicated by sticking doors, windows that won’t open or close, or by a crack near the floor that shows uneven motion.
• Often the reason a crack has developed where it has is due to the way water is flowing around your home, the placement of the gutter and looking outside of Grading.
• If the moisture Efflorescence (white chalky stuff) or damp patches near a crack are noticed then most likely there is water intrusion.
• Each foundation type (poured concrete, block, and brick foundations) will exhibit different types of cracks and will require different repair methods.

This is what makes a residential foundation repair plan a genuine repair, and not a patch-up job that doesn’t last for two years.

Find the Actual Repair Process, Step by Step

Once a contractor has determined the crack and suggested a repair, here are the steps that usually follow:

1. Cleaning the crack. Old patch material and debris/dust is removed to allow proper adhesion of the new material.
2. Deciding on the repair approach. The contractor determines the type of epoxy injection, polyurethane foam or structural reinforcement and chooses the method based on the inspection.
3. Injecting the sealant. A low viscosity epoxy or polyurethane is used for a majority of concrete foundation crack repair projects, and is used to fill the foundation crack from inside out, not just to top it off.
4. Sealing the surface. The port is filled in and pounded flat to present a clean appearance when complete.
5. Addressing the cause. When the crack occurred due to drainage or grading the contractor normally suggests that this be also corrected, and if this is not done the same crack (or another adjacent one) reappears.
6. Final check. A decent contractor watches the repair for several weeks after to make sure the repair has stabilized, particularly after a rain.

The difference between a contractor that merely fills a void and a contractor that actually solves the problem.

For homeowners, there are some questions they will always ask before hiring any kind of help and these are some of them.

Is my crack really that bad or am I being all conspiracy theorist?

If it is thin, not growing and vertical, it is more likely to be cosmetic. If it’s wide, horizontal or growing month over month, have it examined.

How to repair the foundation crack?

Small, non-structural cracks will respond to DIY crack sealants. More than 1/4″ or wall movement requires a professional.

Will the repaired crack re-open?

Once filled (particularly with epoxy), a crack is usually stronger than the surrounding concrete. Cracks reopen primarily when the root cause of the water infiltration issue has not been addressed.

What is the average repair time for your service?

Typically, single crack injection repairs take a few hours. Structural reinforcement works of greater size may require a day or two.

Will I lose my home’s value if I have foundation cracks?

Yes, in a good way. There’s nothing like seeing a crack that’s documented and professionally repaired, reassuring as it is to buyers, than an unaddressed crack.

It is time to seek out a foundation repair solution that best suits your situation now.

Not all cracks should be treated the same. Below are some common foundation repair solutions, a simple breakdown:

• Epoxy can be applied to non-moving, structural cracks. It cements back in place the concrete and brings back many of the properties of the original material.
• Polyurethane injection can be used for cracks that are actively leaking water because it expands to close even wet cracks.
• Bows in the walls are relatively minor and carbon fiber strips are used for reinforcement.
• For more serious cases, where the wall has shifted noticeably over time, or needs to be held in place, steel I-beams or wall anchors may be used.
• Exterior waterproofing and drainage correction is often combined with any of the above as it addresses the source of the pressure instead of just the symptom.

A contractor will typically explain 2-3 of these options and why it is one and they will not drum in the most expensive option.

What to do to prevent return of cracks.

Half the work is done when you fix the crack. The other half is to keep it away from others from returning:

• Clean gutters and direct downspouts away from foundation (at least 5-6 feet).
• Grading soil away from foundation walls will prevent water from pooling near them.
• Don’t plant large trees close to the foundation line.
• Avoid letting your soil go too dry and shrinking, especially around your foundation, during prolonged dry periods.
• Have a fast foundation check done once every couple of years, particularly after drought periods or heavy rains.

These little things are very inexpensive to sustain as opposed to a repair cost down the road.

Avoid making the little crack into a big bill!

Having a foundation crack isn’t an emergency when you find it, but it can never just resolve on its own. A concrete repair contractor will find the fix to be simple and inexpensive if he or she sees it early enough. Don’t delay too long or a minor injection job can become a massive structural repair.

Your structural foundation is the base for your home. A small crack that is treated seriously today is the same crack that will be around for 20 years.

Frequently Asked questions

The cost of the repairs using injection for hairline to medium size cracks are moderate, and the cost for structural reinforcement work varies with the degree and size of damage.

Carefully done epoxy or polyurethane injection may last the life of the foundation, particularly when combined with proper drainage corrective work.

No. Thin, vertical, stable cracks may be cosmetic. Any crack that is growing, leaking or accompanied with sticking doors and floors should be inspected by a professional.

Ideally, they are both handled at the same time. Drainage repairs (without crack repair) leave the damage as is and repair of a crack (without drainage repair) often results in another crack later.