It can be scary to be a homeowner. There is so much you need to worry about fixing, especially if you have a basement. Basement wall repair might not be on your mind, but it should.
Ignoring cracks in your basement wall can harm your home’s foundation. Moisture can get in through those cracks. Moisture can lead to water in your basement. That can lead to mold and mildew, on the walls, and even carpeting if you have that.
How to identify if a crack is “normal” or a sign of structural damage:
Not all basement wall cracks indicate structural damage. There are three main causes of cracks in your foundation: shrinkage, settling & shifting.
Shrinkage is caused when the concrete for your foundation dries too fast. The quick drying time causes the concrete to shrink, and hairline cracks are the result. You will typically notice shrinkage long after your house is built.
Settling occurs when the ground below the foundation compresses under the weight of the foundation concrete. These cracks are a direct result of settling the amount of ground compression. If the ground under the basement foundation only compresses for a short time, the cracks are generally minor. But if the ground continues to settle, the cracks will continue to grow and will need to be fixed.
Shifting is when the ground under the foundation shifts. This is actually the most common cause of basement foundation crack. As with settling, if the movement continues, the cracks will get worse.
Repairing a basement wall
When it comes to basement wall repair, there’s no cookie cutter solution. While hairline cracks that aren’t growing in size can probably be fixed by the homeowner, larger cracks, or basement walls that are leaning or bulging, are jobs for an experienced foundation repair specialist.
The good news is that most basement wall cracks aren’t caused by structural damage. However, that doesn’t mean they’re harmless. Basement wall cracks can allow both water and radon gas to enter your home. So, they should be filled. While it’s certainly possible to repair small basement wall cracks – the kind that have been caused by normal settling – larger cracks definitely need to be inspected by a professional to make sure they haven’t been caused by structural damage. BDB Waterproofing foundation repair contractors are professionals and highly trained in basement wall crack repairs and foundation crack repair. Cracks should be addressed before water starts seeping in through them, or they grow into a serious problem.
Schedule Basement Wall Repair
When it comes to repairing your basement walls, there’s no one you can trust quite like BDB Waterproofing. Contact BDB Waterproofing at 402-779-3165 or use the contact form on our website.
